Legend of Caelan
by annaASSASSIN
Summary: Hello, I'm Caelan. I began as an orphan without a voice, but through some odd twists of fate ended up becoming... the 39th Sun Knight in training! And incidentally, I'm female. Nice to meet you.
1. Prolouge

My earliest memories were of an orphanage. Of its sunken inhabitants, grey interior and shabby furniture. When I first arrived I had no memories of anything except my name, Caelan, a name which nobody called me by. To them I was 'Creeper'.

Looking back on it I realise that it was through no fault of their own that people came to refer to me so; I had spent my years in the orphanage creeping by silently, not communicating with others. In those years, I had never spoken.

Those years, however, are not of any interest to me or, I dare say, you. To put my time in the orphanage simply I worked, slept, ate and worked some more. I don't consider these times to be any part of my life. For me, life began at the age of 9.

* * *

"Creeper!" The coarse voice of this orphanages matron sounded. The matron was a nasty woman; her pale skin hung like drapes off of her, her graying hair whisped in every direction, and her beedy, black eyes stared cruelly behind thin, weedy eyebrows. She was like an overshadowing hawk, but today she had donned her best clothes and made the noticeable attempt to appear civil, "Go put the pot on to boil, you worthless child. We have an important visitor coming soon, so try not to screw up."

I nodded in my usual manner, which was vacantly. With my tiny, uncovered feet curling up against the cold floor I padded silently down the long, crooked hallway to the kitchen. The orphanage was deserted, as it had been for some weeks. The only people left were myself and the matron, who snarled and complained everyday for my presence, yet seemed glad to use me as her personal servant. From the snippets of conversations that I had heard this place was out of business, being needed less and less in this time with prosperity and without war. All of the children that had inhabited this old, creaking house were gone, adopted by families or sent off to training as knights and clerics. The rushing and preparing of the children had left me in the cracks, not fit to be trained and unwanted by any of the families. "Who wants a mute as a child? And one as uncaring as Creeper," These murmurings had drifted my way from the mouths of the other children, but it hadn't affected me. It never did. Everrything always seemed so very distant, like I was watching from another world.

I pushed my hands out of the oversized, ragged jumper I wore, revealing my tiny, dirty hands. They were stiff from the cold, but I focused on the task at hand; filling the pot and setting it to boil on the sorcery powered-stove. It was important not to drop anything, for last time I had I had been beaten for my carelessness. I stayed by the heat for a moment, closing my eyes and feeling the warmth that was simultaneously familiar and distant.

"Stupid child!" The matrons shriek sounded behind me, making my eyes open in shock. I had drifted off and let the pot overflow. A moment later I heard the sharp crack of a wooden spoon being hit against my arm, but barely felt the pain. I could see the swelling and the steady darkening of a bruise, but it all seemed distant. Like it was somebody else's arm I was staring at.

The sound of knocking against the rotten, tattered door sounded throughout the halls, echoing eerily. The matron immediately became flustered, muttering to herself, "They're here, they're here," before turning to me sharply and snapping that I bring them tea at once, and not to drop it or I'd regret it.

I blinked in reply, not looking at her, but instead beginning to make the tea carefully. She rushed off to greet the visitor, exclaiming loudly before her voice went in the direction of the sitting room. I put the tea cups on a tray, hearing them clatter slightly and seeing drops of the liquid fall onto the tray. Still shaking and spilling the stuff slightly (particularly near the arm that had been hit) I padded into the room, setting it on the table between the two adults and standing back, head down and waiting to be ordered.

The matron looked down at the tray and flushed, embarrassed, before turning her face back to the guest and apologising in earnest, "I'm so sorry, the child is useless... here I'll clean it for you, sorry..."

"Not at all," An elegant voice came through the reverie, "Is this the child that needed reassigning?"

"Ah yes, yes, but I do think it will be hard... such a dolt..." The matron murmured, wiping the tea cup thoroughly before handing it to the man. One white-gloved hand reached forward and took the cup, holding it elegantly.

"And his name?" The man's voice came out once more.

"Cree- Ahem. I'm afraid we don't know, you see he came to us quite young and hasn't spoken since..."

"Well, Child?" The voice came very close now, accompanied by a lot of white, "Do you have a name?"

I didn't reply. Not that I ever did, but this time it seemed different. The moment I didn't reply the matron tensed, leaning forward in her seat and motioning for me to reply behind the mans back. Instead of my voice the shrieking sound of the pot answered them, startling the matron to the point where she dropped her cup of tea, sending droplets flying onto every surface; including the mans pristine-white clothing. She immediately began to apologise, looking distraught. In a flurry of movement she left the room, leaving me alone with the stranger.

He sighed, fussing about his clothes in an irritated manner before sitting back onto the couch. Now that the matron was gone he seemed bored, staring at me with startling blue eyes. He frowned, gesturing for me to sit before saying in a clear, careful voice, "Do you have a name?"

I didn't reply, but followed the order and sat on the couch opposite him. We stared at each other for a moment more before he lent back, "Damnit. You really don't talk, do you? Argh! Lesus sent me all the way here for nothing. What am I supposed to do now?"

I didn't answer, but raised my hand to wipe away strands of hair that had been hanging in my vision. The action made my jackets' sleeve fall, revealing what had now become a very angry red and purple mark. I saw the mans eyes widen in shock at the sight, and he immediately leant forward with an exclamation, "What happened?"

He frowned, resting a hand on the spot for a moment. Under his hand began to glow golden, and when he retracted his reach the area was unblemished. I touched the spot absently, frowning for the first time in a long time. The feeling was familiar, in a way everything else wasn't. It was the smallest burst of clarity I had had in a long time, and it left me feeling slightly human. I looked up at the man again, confused.

"Caheelaam," The sound shocked me, making me jump in my seat. It sounded small and rusty. The man looked surprised, staring at me with wide eyes.

In an uncertain voice he said, "Did you just... What did you say?"

"Caelan," I repeated, slowly raising my hand to my throat as I said the word in a slow, precise manner. The voice that came out was small and soft. Is it mine?

"Creeper!" An angry matrons voice called out and I jumped, feeling fear. It wasn't an emotion I had felt in such a long time, and feeling it again now made my heart beat and my hands shake. I dropped my hand, clenching the now-healed arm tightly before standing and shuffling to the sound of the voice. When I reached her she was standing in the kitchen, fists clenched in fury and waving a pot. It was the one I had forgotten to taken off the stove, and it's bottom was thoroughly blackened, "You didn't turn the stove off and now look, useless creature!"

She waved the pot vigorously before bringing it down on me, it's burning surface scalding the side of my face. It was hot, and I could smell my burning flesh. For reasons I do not understand this became my trigger.

I cracked.

The floor trembled slightly and icicles began to form around me, webbing out beneath my feet. My hair began to be tossed around in a non-existent wind, sending the pots on the wall clattering and horrifying the Matron. I could see it in her eyes; terror. The same terror that she had enforced upon the children. Upon me. Seeing it on her face was gratifying, in a way. Retribution.

Or so I thought. In a moment it was all gone, leaving me standing in the middle of a wet floor and feeling extremely tired. Somebodys hand was on my shoulder, and that person must have been speaking to the dorm matron. Her face was red with anger, and she made a sharp gesture to the door. I was led out, into the street. I felt the cobblestones underneath my feet, my clarity gone and feeling numb and detached again.

Somebody sat me in a coach, far nicer than any I had ever even seen. The man from the house. He frowned and spoke, hesitant when he didn't receive any answer. Finally he leant forward and said one word that grounded me; "Caelan?"

I looked up and nodded. It was my name, I knew that much.

"Caelan how would you feel about coming with me to the church?" He asked gently. I frowned, and he continued hurriedly, "It's a place with lots of magic, and knights, You may even get to meet my brothers; The twelve holy knights."

Brothers? It sounded familiar. I nodded, slowly. He grinned, slapping my leg and leaning back. In a satisfied voice he said, "You'll get there eventually!"

* * *

This was how I, an orphan with nothing but a name, went from a three year period of darkness to blinding light. From rags to glamour. From nobody to... the Sun Knight in training.

Well it involved slightly more than just that, but the end result was the same.

Nice to meet you, I'm Caelan, the 39th Sun Knight in training, and incidentally (although it took my teacher quite some time to notice)... a female.


	2. Chapter 1

"That must have been seven years ago," I mused to the sunflower in front of me as I watered its base, "To think so much as happened since then..."

_After teacher picked me up from the orphanage he brought me here. Lots of his brothers made jokes about him having an illegitimate child when I showed up. It's true; we do look alike. We both have the same bright gold hair and blue eyes. Well, I have gold hair, his is actually white, _I smiled a little, _To think he chose the next Sun Knight for such an odd reason. He even made a big fuss when the Pope didn't want me to be a candidate... Though I suppose I can understand where the Pope was coming from, if somebody came bursting into my study and with some grubby orphan and declared "This will be the next Sun Knight!" like teacher had, I'd probably be pretty against it too..._

The Pope had just finished spitting out his drink onto the table before he snapped to, "Close the damn door!"

I obeyed, shutting the expensive-looking thing delicately behind me. When I turned around the golden-haired man was lounging on an expensive looking couch, drinking expensive looking tea and fiddling with his expensive looking uniform. Really, to an orphan who slept on a rotting mattress up until now _everything_ looked expensive.

The Pope was currently frowning at the man, after having thrown the veil off of his face.

_So Popes are actually... young boys?_

"And who is this?" The Pope said in an angry, childish voice.

"Craylin!" He said happily, popping a biscuit in his mouth.

_It's Caelan..._

"Weird name," The Pope muttered, sitting down opposite my teacher, "What do you mean, 'Next Sun Knight'!"

The man sighed loudly, crossing his arms and glaring at the pope, "What I'm _saying _is that this child will be my student."

"Hey, don't just go deciding things on your own!" The Pope leant forward in his chair, glaring back at the man, "There's a procedure to these things. There has to be a selection and then... Hey, are you even paying attention?"

At this stage the man had begun to lose focus, instead surveying the tea stains caused by the matron on his uniform with disgust. He even mumbled to himself, "Damn old hag..."

The Pope turned to look at me, frowning in earnest, "Well, do you know what he's going on about?"

I shook my head.

"He hasn't explained anything to you?"

I shook my head.

"Then... why did you come with him?"

I shrugged.

"Hey Sun, Don't you think this kid is better suited to be Ice Knight..."

"No! Definitely not!" The man said suddenly, sitting up straighter, "Don't go trying to steal my catch! This kid looks the part, and by the time I'm done training him he should at least pass off as a Sun Knight!"

"... So you want to train him because it means less work?"

The man nodded happily, "Now you're getting it."

"Ah!" The Pope said smiling, "Now I get it... DID YOU THINK I WOULD SAY THAT, DUMBASS?! YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCEDURES AT LEAST!"

"NO! WHY CANT I MAKE THIS KID SUN KNIGHT? HE LOOKS LIKE IT, DOESN'T HE?"

"IM SAYING, IT DOESN'T MATTER! YOU CAN'T JUST RUN IN HERE WITH SOME GRUBBY KID AND EXPECT ME TO ACCEPT HIM AS THE NEXT SUN KNIGHT, DAMN IT!"

"LOOK HERE OLD MAN, IF I SAY HE'LL BETHE NEXT SUN KNIGHT, HE'LL BE THE NEXT SUN KNIGHT!"

The Pope sighed, rubbing his eyes in an irritated manner, "Nothing I can say is going to stop you, is it?"

"Nope."

"You'll at least choose a back up knight, right?"

"Nope."

"... Judgements going to kill you this time for sure. Fine then, do whatever you want. But when it comes back to bite you, don't go complaining to me!"

"Judgement would never kill me... probably... any this is going to turn out perfectly fine! You'll see!"

I laughed lightly, _He brought me to the temple to become a mage, and instead I became a Sun Knight… __Shortly after that, when I asked teacher why everybody was referring to me as a male... I'll never forget that face as long as I live! He even had the pride left to say "I can't go back on it now that I made all that fuss! Shit! You better quietly become the Sun Knight!"_

I sighed, leaning back on my heels and wiping my hair out of my face. A lot sure has changed since then. I've gotten tall, standing as tall as any of the guys my age. Teacher insists on keeping my hair cut short, just below my ears. 'If they find out you're a girl, Judgement will definitely kill me...' he said. Even though it's short, it still gets a lot of praise for being so golden and bright, along with my large, blue eyes. I really don't know what they're going on about, half the time... Teacher tried explaining it to me once, saying, "It would have been better if you turned out all-purpose handsome, or even regular handsome, but you have to deal with the fact that your type of attractiveness is... flowery handsome! It makes women immediately trust you, especially with those big eyes! Work with it!"

I shook my head, _People are weird..._

"Oh dear student," The voice of the devil sounded behind me. I turned around slowly, adopting the 'Sun Knight' smile. Behind me was my teacher, standing with his arms crossed and looked pissed. Beside him Adair looked uncomfortable, shooting me looks of pity.

"Ah, um... It must be the... you know, God of Light that has brought teacher here..."

"Ah it must be the divine God of Lights radiance that has showered down on my dear student so strongly that he has forgotten that he wears the attire of the God of Light, thus causing him to dirty it so!"

I looked at him blankly. _Something... about clothes?_

"You appear to have dirtied your uniform," Adair translated helpfully.

_Adair, you're really the best!_

"Ah but teacher, you see these flowers required the God of Lights water!"

"Don't think you can just slap God of Light on things!" He snapped, "Not only have you dirtied your uniform, you're even late for practice! They made me run around looking for you! As punishment you have to clean your uniform by hand, you're not allowed to ask the Young Metal knight for help either!"

_Teacherrrrrr! You're too cruel!_

"Hey, don't go cursing me in your heart. Just hurry up and go to practice!"

I obeyed, sprinting in the direction of the training field.

"And don't let anybody see you using magic- Hey! Don't pretend you're deaf!"

I ignored him, using wind magic to boost my sprint. After all, my stamina is really... awful! Dead awful! There's no way I could make it there while simultaneously looking graceful _and_ not using any magic! This is another thing that caused the other Twelve Holy Knights to speculate whether or not I was teacher's illegitimate child. I had grown from the weak, uncontrollable magic of my childhood into strong magic that heeded my every order. Which usually involved helping boost my physical prowess.

_Hey what did you say?! That's not cheating! It's just… a handicap…_

In the end I made it there in a minute flat. _New record!_ Upon arriving I saw that the training group has been split into two groups which now stood opposite each other; On my right stood the Cruel and Cold-Hearted section, while on my left stood the Warm and Kind-Hearted section. Standing to the side was the current Judgment and Leaf knights.

I bowed awkwardly and darted to stand with the knights under my jurisdiction. Once I was standing in place the Judgment Knight began his explanation of today's training in his deep voice, "Today you's will be pairing off with your adjacent knight. From there you will practice hand on hand combat. Understood?"

A chorus of uniform 'Yes's followed his question and I looked to my opponent with a sigh of relief. It was Seriph. Seriph didn't move, simply reaching his nimble fingers up and tying back his dark, shoulder-length hair. He was wearing the standard practice attire, unlike me. It was made of black cloth (to avoid showing blood stains) and was tightly secured with belts of a similar black fabric. His feet, however, were bare.

I walked to a meter away from him, mimicking the other training knights by dropping into the starting pose. He didn't spare me a glance, or even drop into his fighting pose; instead he stood, looking to the current Judgment Knight and waiting for the signal patiently, his dark eyes never once flickering to mine.

_Damn! He's always so conceited!_

"Now," The Judgment Knight's low voice sounded, which sparked all of the others into movement. And while Seriph was, I was no exception to this.

I leapt forward, fist first and aiming for his chest. He still didn't look at me, side stepping and holding his leg forward, causing me to trip.

_Even if my stamina's bad… my reaction time isn't!_

I tripped willingly, throwing my palm flat onto the ground and twisting to kick at him. He ducked, stepping towards me and hitting his flat palm into my tensed stomach. I pivoted off of my hand and jumped back onto my feet, slightly winded.

_Damn he hit's hard!_

I didn't lose face though, instead leaping at him through the air again. He didn't duck out of my way, instead grabbing my shoulder and arm, using them as leverage to throw me straight over him. I countered by grabbing both of his shoulders mid-flight, using them to ground myself again. He was unfazed, simply turning around and kicking my feet from under me. Instead of giving me time to react he grabbed my arm, twisting it behind me and pinning me to the ground.

I struggled, refusing to admit defeat.

He sighed, sounding exasperated and irritated, "Just yield."

"No!" I spat angrily, still struggling.

He let go of me, stepping back and crossing his arms, "You're too stubborn."

"Shut up!" I jumped up, stepping towards him and swinging my left leg up high.

He pushed it away effortlessly, then stepped forward and shoved my shoulder, hard. I fell backward, surprised.

"Change partners," The Judgment Knight's voice called out. When I looked up Seriph was already walking away.

I stood up, shaking in anger, "Next time I'll get you, damn it! I don't care if you're the next Judgment Knight or whatever!"

"Should the next Sun Knight really be saying that?" A loud voice laughed behind me and I froze, turning to look at who had approached me to spar. _Oh no…_ It was Jaylen, the next Blaze Knight. He looked awkward, grinning widely. Jaylen fitted his future role fairly well, as he was always loud and well… Like the ideal Blaze Knight. Right now, however, he looked sufficiently uncomfortable while he tried to make some kind of first contact with me. I stood, unsure of what to do. I couldn't exactly turn him down, but…

"Hey Caelan!" Ryder's voice broke the tension as he approached me, "You're looking sufficiently dirty today!"

_Oh thank the God of Light! _Ryder was the next Metal Knight, and incidentally, a good friend of mine. I looked to Blaze, smiling weakly, "I'm sorry, do you mind if I…?"

He shook his head, looking lost. In the end Ryder lead me away, muttering to me under his breath, "You can't avoid him forever, you know?"

"I know!" I hissed under my breath, feeling like tugging on my hair.

"Oh and by the way," He said, sounding chipper, "You're going to pay for doing that to your uniform."

_Oh no._ Although the general public could never find out, the future Metal Knight was actually… a major fashionista! He'd personally altered my uniform, claiming that I couldn't run around wearing something less than 'perfect' if I was going to be the future Sun Knight. _I should be becoming the Sun Knight, right? So why does it feel like I've become Ryder's personal model!_

We stood opposite each other, crouched and ready to pounce. When Judgment's voice signaled the start of the matches we both pounced, both of us aiming high kicks at each other. In the end our kicks blocked each other, and I took a step forward to try and land a punch while Ryder took a step backward, evading me. We struck out at each other, grinning all the while.

"You've been- oof!" I landed a punch in Ryder's stomach, cutting his sentence off. He bounced back quickly, returning my punch with a kick to the chest, which sent me stumbling backward, "Practicing, huh?"

"Of course I," I cart wheeled, but was blocked when he used his arms to defend his head. I quickly kicked off his arms to avoid getting hit, bouncing to stand a meter away, "Have!"

"Still," He said, flashing a wide grin, darting forward and grabbing me in a loose headlock, "Not enough!"

"Yield," I said, laughing, "No fair, you're just really good at this!"

I wasn't just flattering him, it was true. His pass-time might be delicate, but he was fast and agile. He also stood a foot taller than me, with short hair that was a dark enough blue to almost be black, bright blue eyes and tanned skin.

"What do you expect from the son of warrior's?" He said proudly, punching my arm lightly.

"Knight-Captain Judgment!" A loud, unfamiliar voice yelled out, causing us all to jump. I promptly smoothed down my hair, adopting a forgiving smile and looking towards the voice. The other's made similar adjustments to their appearance, and we all quickly stood away from the opposite faction. The new arrival was one of the newer Holy Knight's, looking ruffled, "I was sent to retrieve you, sir! Word has come to the Temple of attacks to the nearby towns!"

Judgment Knight looked down at the Holy Knight, making him even more terrified as he saw the captain's 'I'm angry at everybody' face, "Send word to the other Knight-Captains. Practice dismissed!"

The Judgment Knight left in a whirl of dark robes, leaving the Holy Knight looking terrified. Leaf Knight paused before leaving, turning to the Holy Knight and smiling gently, "Thank you. You should be able to find the Sun and Storm Knight-Captain's in their rooms."

He nodded, waiting before the Leaf Knight left to sprint away.

"Tcht!" The Leaf Knight-in-training, Brandon, dropped his kind demeanor immediately, stalking away with his long, green hair swishing in its pony-tail behind him, "Waste of time."

"Seriously," I said, hands on my hips, "What is his _problem_?!"

"Caeeelannn!" A sad-sounding voice sounded from behind me, making me turn around in worry. The next Earth Knight, Kaden, stood rubbing his arm and looking like he was going to cry.

I sighed but smiled fondly, walking forward and healing his wounds with Holy Light, "Who was your opponent?"

He looked up at me, that's right! Looked _up_! I was actually taller than him. His brown hair was hanging in front of his eyes as his big, brown eyes looked up at me, "Eli…"

"Ouch," I said sympathetically. Eli was the next Hell Knight, and an excellent fighter. I knew for sure that the current Hell Knight had chosen him for his swordsmanship alone.

"There there," The voice was not mine, but rather the next Cloud Knight's; Graytian, "I got some cookies off of the Ice Knight, want some?"

Kaden nodded happily and Graytian handed them to him, patting his hand with his white, delicate hand. Gratian's hair was an amazing white (almost as white as Teacher's!) and hung in a plait down his back. On the end two bells were tied. When I had asked him why he had them there he had replied seriously, "So that my opponent can at least hear me. It's not fair that they have to fight an opponent they can't even see half the time!"

So in the essence of it he was… a really kind guy! He wasn't too talkative, but he was always so caring and kind.

"Speaking of," I looked around. Sure enough we were the only one's left in the training hall, the rest having dispersed immediately, "Where did Ashton go?"

"He said something about bringing back some of his cooking for everybody…" Gratian said vaguely, a pained look coming about his eyes. We all froze, ready to run however…

"Guys!" Ashton's voice called from behind us, sounding cheerful, "I brought some cake for everybody…"

Ashton was the next Ice Knight, and he had studied under a knight rumored to have the best cooking alive… However in this account Ashton was as hopeless as my teacher, who had studied under the a master swordsman but couldn't hold a sword! Ashton may have studied under the best cook alive, but his cooking was… deadly. If I could make a sword out of his cooking, even I could be a master swordsman.

"I can't!" I said sadly, looking at him apologetically, "Teacher said I have to clean my uniform, see I got it dirty?"

"I'll help!" Ryder said quickly.

"Aw, thanks Ryder! But teacher says I'm not allowed to ask you for help, so…" I turned and bid them farewell before running off to my rooms.

_Some people have to be sacrificed on the road of life! I will forever mourn you, dear friends!_


	3. Chapter 2

_I wonder if they've passed out yet…_

I was in my rooms, scrubbing my uniform clean diligently. That's right, you heard me right, rooms! Plural! As the Sun Knight in training I not only had a bedroom, but a bathroom, and that bedroom was big enough that it held a mini kitchen and mini living room!

I sat back, tired and staring at my uniform with an annoyed expression. _Is Ryder a magician or something?! He can get stains out in 5 seconds flat…_

I looked around me, checking to make sure the door and curtains were closed. Lifting one hand in front of me I manipulated the water element, making it snake in and out of the clothes in a fast manner, dragging the dirt out of the cloth by force. Soon it was looking almost perfect, but I was interrupted by a loud 'Bang' and the door flying open. In the process I lost focus and the water dropped, splashing me. Behind the door stood Ryder, looking like death.

"Oh, my dear friend!" I said innocently, "Whatever has happened to you!"

He stormed in, slamming the door behind him and throwing himself flat onto one of the couches, "Urgh I don't even have the energy to yell at you for abandoning me…"

"Hey, don't say that! I didn't _abandon_ you…" _Much_… "Anyway here, this should help."

I cast a minor heal over his stomach, hoping it would ease the pain, before continuing in a troubled voice, "Poor Ashton. He always tries so hard…"

"To hell with Ashton, I swear he's trying to kill us all…" Ryder grumbled, sitting up and running his hands through his hair.

"Don't say that," I said, reprimanding him verbally as I shot a drop of water element in-between his eyes. Turning my back to his startled 'Hey' I levitated the uniform using wind magic before drawing all of the water element out, leaving it dry. I put it to the side, still not wanting to get back into it. At the moment I was wearing a comfortable pair of loose pants coupled with a baggy top.

"Urgh. I can't believe you're wearing that," He said dully, "Besides, you need to practice more. You have such a girly frame…"

_I am a girl.._

Annoyed, I sent a blast of wind magic to mess up his hair, laughing when he shouted, "Hey!"

"I'll take you anytime, anywhere buddy!"

"Oh? Is that a threat?" He said, standing up and crossing his arms with a grin, "Who just got their butt kicked in training?"

"I wasn't using magic then," I said cheekily, discreetly gathering wind magic near my feet.

"So you think a little magic is enough to beat me? Ha!"

I didn't answer, instead darting forward with my enhanced speed and kicking him straight in the stomach, sending him flying into one of the couches, "Oof!"

"Like I said," I continued, flipping my hair, "Anytime, anywhere."

"Cheat," He grumbled, standing up again.

"I don't want to hear that from somebody who can get up like that was nothing! Yeesh! You're like a bull…"

"Moo," He said, laughing loudly.

A knocking interrupted our laughter, and I quickly went to the door and opened it, "Who is- Rhett?"

Rhett was the next Moon Knight, but rather than having his head raised haughtily it was always lowered into one batch of paperwork or the other. Right now he was wearing his official uniform, looking flamboyant. His hair was neat too, spiking out in an orderly fashion. His normally bright eyes were dark with worry, and his mouth was pulled down at the edges, "We've been called to a meeting."

Ryder and I exchanged a glance. We didn't get called into meetings often, especially at this late a notice. _Something's happened._ I pushed Ryder out, "You go ahead, I need to get ready."

He nodded, following Rhett swiftly. I closed the door and locked it cautiously before running to my (thankfully!) clean uniform and throwing it on, making sure to keep my presence neat and bright. I donned my smile and left the room, hurried but trying my best to appear elegant.

When I reached the meeting room each of the Knight's-in-training sat beside their teacher, looking diligent. Even the current Knight's were looking worried. I rushed to my teachers side, sitting down and listening to their conversations.

"Is this really the best…"

"Not ready yet!"

"Do we even know who-"

The Judgment Knight cleared his throat, and silence descended quickly. We all looked to him as he began to talk, "Following the recent disturbances in the towns surrounding Leaf Bud City, we have received information that a rebel group is moving to Leaf Bud City. We have no leads on their objectives as of yet, but we have to assume it bodes ill."

Teacher sighed, standing up and slapping his hands on the table loudly, "We have been told that the group is small, so we have decided…" He looked up, meeting the eye's of each of the Knights-in-training, "This will be your first group mission. Find and diffuse the problem."

I froze. Group mission?

"That is all. We're leaving the matter in your hands." Judgment stood, signaling for the rest of the Knights to follow him. They did, including teacher, who quickly shot me a grin.

We sat in shock as the door closed behind them, leaving us alone in the room. Seriph was the first to speak in his low voice, "We should split up into groups. Storm Knight, you go collect more information. Cloud Knight, see if you can scout out any suspicious people that have arrived, but keep discreet. The rest-"

"Hey wait!" I said quickly, finally breaking out of my shock and looking towards Seriph with an irritated face. _Didn't he even bother to remember their names!_ I continued in what I hoped was a leader-worthy voice, "We should discuss the issue first."

"We don't have the time," He shot me a cold look, "You're too inexperienced. I will lead this mission."

"Hey!" Jaylen stood, saying in his loud 'Blaze' voice, "I don't really get the situation, but shouldn't we be working as a team?!"

"We are," Seriph continued coldly, "If there's more than one members it's a team, correct?"

Jaylen looked confused, "Um. Maybe?"

I felt like hitting my head against the desk. _You're making it worse!_

"No," Kaden's soft, timid voice came from the end of the table, "A team is working together…"

"Urgh!" Brandon, the next Leaf Knight, said in an angry voice, "Just do what he says so we can get this over with."

_Hey, Hey! Act a bit more like a Leaf Knight, Will you? If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to steal Lamar's place as the next Storm Knight…_

From here they dissolved into smaller arguments, some even standing up in anger. Seriph stood next to me, for once looking unsure on how to proceed.

I sighed and coated my fists with a thick, invisible layer of wind. _Hopefully this works…_ I slammed my first onto the table, making a loud noise and startling everybody into silence. Luckily the wind magic had kept my hands free of injury, but the same couldn't be said for the table…

_You are the next Sun Knight. You are the next Sun Knight…_

I put on my biggest, brightest smile and looked to them, hoping to copy teacher's 'Evil Smile'. It must have worked, because they all sat obediently.

"We," I began grandly, "Are the next Twelve Holy Knight's. We can't fight like this. At the very least we should-"

"Stop wasting our time!" The next Leaf Knight snapped, glaring at me, "Just let the next Judgment Knight do it. He's better suited than you anyway."

I reddened, embarrassed, "Fine! If you want to go along with his plan, do so!"

The people in the room looked at each other. Brandon stood first, flicking his hair and moving to stand with Seriph. He was followed by the next Stone Knight, then the next Moon Knight, then the next Storm Knight… Soon only Ashton, Kaden, Graytian and Ryder remained seated. Even the next Blaze Knight had joined Seriph.

He promptly began giving them orders, not stopping to spare the rest of us a glance. Within a minute they had all left, leaving me rooted in place.

Graytian's hand appeared on my shoulder comfortingly, "It's okay Caelan. We're still here."

I nodded and turned to them, "What's our first move?"

In the end the jobs were decided based on their specialties. Metal was to disguise himself as a citizen and roam the streets looking for any information, Earth was to scour the library for information on similar situations and how they were handled, Cloud was sent to spy in taverns and inns for information, While Ice and I were going to survey the outer regions of the city.

The streets were uneven and covered in mud and excrement, making the whole area reek. The houses were old, rickety and rotting.

"Hey, Caelan?" Ashton said beside me. We were walking through the dim streets that bordered the end of Leaf Bud City, both of us concealed under hooded cloaks, "Why didn't the others join us?"

"Well," I sighed, feeling depressed, "I'm not a very good leader. Sorry."

"No," He said softly, reaching out and squeezing my hand briefly, "You're a good leader. I just wish they could see it. You're always very kind and considerate."

"Thank you," I said replied, feeling immensely better.

"Ay," A slurred voice sounded from behind us, making me jump in fright, "What're you think yerr doin round here? Ain't ya a bit too well dressed to be slummin' with folk like us?"

The voice laughed loudly, obviously drunk. I turned and observed the man. He was tall, fat and dirty. He had a puke-speckled beard, balding head and harsh little eyes. I spoke in a quiet voice, "We're just walking."

"Ah?!" He took a few steps forward, grabbing my collar and shaking me roughly, "Ya think yerr better than me?! EH? Jus' cause you were born rich don' mean the res' o' us are trash, yerr bloody brat!"

"Please sir," Ashton said, tugging the hand that was holding me pleadingly, "We really are just walking you see-"

The man interrupted Ashton by hitting him aside roughly, causing the boy to tumble in the mud.

"Hey!" I yelled, but the man pushed me too, stomping forward and kicking Ashton roughly.

I cracked, again.

The Ice element formed easily now, freezing the mud beneath me and causing mist to gather around my hands. My voice came out as a snarl, "Get. Away. From. Him."

"Ohh?" The drunk man drawled, obviously not noticing his situation and he walked to me and prodded me with a grimy, fat finger, "And what're YOUUUU gonna go about it?"

"I'll kill-"

I was cut off when the man went flying, smashing against a wooden wall and falling to the ground in a heap. A dark figure picked Ashton up and beckoned me, saying in a rough voice, "Quick! He'll get up soon!"

I followed the dark figure obediently, running down the muddy streets, "Where are you taking us?"

"Here!" The figure stopped, throwing open a nearby cottage. It was small and dirty, but was free of the smell of rotting that plagued the majority of these houses. I jumped inside, throwing the door closed behind me.

"Give me a second," The figure's voice spoke again, "I'll light a match-"

"No!" I said sharply, before continuing in a softer voice, "I'll do it."

I levitated holy light, lighting up the whole room. It was fairly clean, with a couple of straw mattresses sitting in the otherwise bare room. The floor was dirt, as expected, but it was dry and hard-packed. On one of the mattresses was Ashton, looking small and fragile. Next to him sat the figure- except he had thrown off his robe to reveal a boy who was probably two years older than me. His hair was a golden-blonde, his eyes a dark blue. He was tanned, but well dressed for these parts. He was currently looking at me with a wary expression, "You're a cleric?"

"Nope," I said happily, stopping myself before I could announce myself as the Sun Knight in training. That probably wasn't a good idea, "I just… know a little magic is all!"

I moved to Ashton's side, fussing over him in a worried manner. He was just passed out. I sighed in relief, "Thank you, for that… Really."

He shrugged, leaning against the wall and looking away, "Don't mention it."

_We should probably get back to the Holy Temple… _I bit my lip, looking at Ashton, _I can't carry him in like this…_

"Um, do you mind if I stay until he uh… wakes up?" I looked to him imploringly. He nodded and I grinned brightly, "Thanks!"

I undid my cloak, revealing my plain 'Citizen's clothing underneath as I tucked it around Ashton.

"What's somebody in that getup doing around here?" The boy asked curiously.

"Oh just, you know… exploring!" He looked surprised, then finally cracked a smile.

"You came to the slums to explore?" He said, amused.

"Ahuh!"

"Well it's nice to meet you, all the same. I'm Kaiden"

_I shouldn't tell him my real name, should I?_

"I'm… Caydel!"

A pained smile tugged on his face, "It's a good name."

We sat in silence for some time before I remembered my goal.

"Oh yeah! You live around these parts, right? Has there been any talk of rebel groups or anything?"

He looked at me sharply, "Why?"

I froze, feeling scared, "Um just… wondering."

"You shouldn't. It's dangerous. Just lie low for awhile, alright kid?" He leant forward and ruffled my hair with a lopsided grin.

"Ok," I said with a sigh. I'd have to look elsewhere.

"Ca-" Ashton's voice started behind me, sounding confused.

"Ashton!" I cut him off quickly. _Shit I used his real name…_ I peeked at Kaiden. He didn't seem to react, "You're awake!"

"My head hurts," He said, rubbing it with a frown. I leant forward and laid a hand on it, worried. He had hit it hard…

"Um, thanks for looking after us!" I said to Kaiden, helping support Ashton, "I've got to take him to get him to a cleric…"

"You shouldn't," Kaiden said suddenly, looking at his hands darkly, "They're evil."

I stared at him in shock, "I-I have to leave… See you around?"

"See you," He said quietly, not looking at us as I quickly left with Ashton.

_Weird._

"Cae- What happened?!" Ryder strode forward to help me support Ashton, who was limping slightly.

"We got attacked," I said softly, "By a drunkard."

"Ha!" An irritating voice called from nearby, "You can't even win a fight against a drunkard without getting your subordinates injured!"

I clenched my teeth, "Shut up Brandon."

"Why? I'm right, aren't I?"

"I'm warning you Brandon," Ryder growled.

"What? Gonna hit me?" He laughed, "And risk upsetting the teachers?"

"No," I replied calmly, looking him dead in the eye, "I'm going to beat you. Meet me in an hour in the practice room."

"I look forward to it," He sneered, turning and walking away.

We quickly lead Ashton to the clerics, healing his wounds in a moment. Next we went to my rooms, where I had planned to change.

"Wait here," I said, starting to enter the bathroom before I was stopped by Ryder's voice.

"Actually!" He said loudly, catching my attention, "I had a feeling a day like this was coming, so I made you…"

I turned around, looking at what he held in his hands.

"This!"

It was the practice uniform, except in white. On the wrists and ankles were puffy white wings, on the front was the Sun emblem and on the back… a massive pair of wings. It even had gold and blue glitter twirling over it elegantly.

…

"No," I closed and locked the door on him.


	4. Chapter 3

I triple-checked that the door of the bathroom was locked before stripping. As much as the years of Sun Knight training had been hard I had been rewarded with a strong body. While most girls my age were weak and fragile, I was toned. My muscles were subtle, but they were definitely there. Still, as I looked in the mirror and thought of the days events I couldn't help but feel a little hopeless.

I focused on my task as I slipped into the practice gear, sliding the pliable fabric on swiftly. I discarded the belts meant to keep the outfit tight, instead only relying on one around my waist to keep the shirt from coming up. I always wore a binder, but I still had to be cautious. I always had to be cautious.

I put my hand on the cold door knob, breathing in slowly before I opened the door and stepped out, bending down to pull on my black leather boots, "This stays between us. I don't want to risk angering teacher."

"Of course," Ryder said, opening the door for me with a grin, "I can't wait to see you kick his pompous butt. Although you'd look better if you wore the outfit I made..."

I rolled my eyes while walking down the hallways with him casually. It was late at night, and I wasn't worried about being seen, "It was too impractical! And if I had torn it..."

"I would have been furious," He said seriously.

"If you understand then why'd you make it," I muttered.

"Passion," He replied lazily.

I pushed open the doors of the practice room, surprised to see Brandon wasn't alone. Off to the side Jaylen, the next Blaze Knight, stood looking serious.

"Why'd you come?" Ryder asked, frowning.

"I wanted to make sure it was a fair fight!" He said loudly, jabbing his chest with his thumb.

"Too bad," I said, glaring at Brandon, "I fight how I like."

Ryder chuckled at Blazes confused face and he walked over to him, slapping him on the back, "You'll want to see this."

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Ice to act as your shield," Brandon sneered, "Or maybe that Earth? Although I suppose he's too small to be good for anything!"

_Seriously, you should have become Metal or something... what's with a jerk like you doing being the Leaf Knight?!_

"Listen," I said coldly, crouching into a fighting pose, "After this you leave us alone, okay? Unless you want everybody to know how badly you got beat?"

He grinned and copied my lead, snarling, "Likewise."

"Okay!" Blaze said in his booming voice, "Ready, Set... Go!"

I let him leap forward, instead using earth magic to ground myself and wind magic to glove my fists. When he got close enough to strike I flung out my hand, grabbing his arm and spinning him (with the help of some more wind magic) before throwing him.

He landed on the floor clumsily while struggling to get up, "What the- Magic! Cheater!"

I grinned, releasing the earth magic and bouncing on my toes, "I told you, I fight how I like, pretty boy."

He ground his teeth, glaring at me, "Youre not the only one who can use magic!"

I yawned. Even if he did know a few parlour tricks, I knew how advanced I was. I could beat him.

At least that was what I thought.

He stood shakily and balled his fists. And from them came.. Fire.

I froze. I couldn't move. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe.

From somewhere far away I saw him run at me, fists clenched and fiery arms pulled back, ready to punch me. I heard a shout, and then the world went black.

* * *

_It's hot_, I struggled to breathe, _I can't see. Somebody save me. It's hot. I can't breathe. Somebody-!_  
I sat up quickly, my back straight as a board, eyes wide and my nails digging into my neck. Slowly I drew in a breathe, then another. My whole body was shaking as I lowered my hand, leaving bloody scratches.

"Caelan you're awake- What did you do?" Somebody rushed at me, reaching forward and grabbing my hand. I struck out wildly retreating to the corner of the platform I was on, burying my head in my knees and shaking, "What is it?"

"Shush," A quiet voice sounded nearby, "Caelan. Caelan it's me, teacher. Youre scaring him. Calm down."

_Caelan. My name is Caelan._

I breathed in deeply, looking up slowly. _That's right. I had a bad dream. I'm the Sun Knight, I'm okay._

I was sitting in my room, in the corner of my bed. The sheets were a tangled mess around me, laced with ice and snow, while Teacher was standing to one side, arms crossed and brow furrowed in worry. Next to him stood Ryder, looking absolutely terrified.

"Hey," I said weakly, smiling at him.

"Are you okay now?" Teacher said, interrupting whatever Ryder wanted to say. I nodded and he turned to Ryder, saying, "You, leave now."

Ryder looked reluctant but I nodded to him firmly. In the end he left, and I was left alone with teacher.

"What happened?" I asked softly, rubbing my head.

"What happened," He said in an irritated voice, "Is my student went off to beat up one of her fellow Knights in the middle of the knight, and when I arrived-!"  
He stopped with a sharp sigh and I looked up at him cautiously. He looked tired.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, "It's just-"

"I know. The Young Metal told me," He clenched his teeth, "I can understand. But these aren't just Knights, Caelan. They're _your_ knights. How can you lead them in the future if you cant even stop them fighting amongst themselves, if you can't even stop yourself from striking them?!"

I looked down, ashamed, "I don't know. I know I'm a disappointment-"

"I didn't say that I-"

"No!" I said loudly, "Let me finish! I know I'm a disappointment but I will fix this! It's my responsibility!"

When I looked up he was smiling fondly, "Youre not a disappointment, Youre my student. And no student of mine could ever be a disappointment."

I nodded, smiling in earnest now. Without another word I leapt off the bed, running to the bathroom to change. When I came out teacher was still there, looking down at his hands thoughtfully.

"I'm off!" I said, hand on the doorknob before his voice stopped me.

"You can't keep running forever. Youre going to have to face it eventually."

I hesitated, squeezing my eyes tightly before throwing open the door and walking towards the Judgement Complex.

* * *

"Young Sun Knight," Seriph said, looking surprised. We were in the training yards outside the Judgement Complex, both in our standard practice uniforms, "What do you need?"

"Cooperation," I said, striding forward and thrusting out my hand. He looked at it like he had never seen a hand before.

"And that means...?" He said quietly, arching an eyebrow at me.

_Damnit! I wish I could arch my eyebrow! Stop looking so cool and calm!_

"We're the Twelve Holy Knights," I said, trying to sound confident, "It's not the Twelve Holy Knights if we're divided like this. As their leaders we have to set an example."

"I feel sorry for a division that follows your example," He said, turning around and continuing to attack the wooden practice dummy.

I clenched my teeth, refusing to lose my cool, "Please."

He froze and turned to look at me curiously, "Excuse me?"

"Please," I said.

"So you finally learnt some humility," He remarked before turning around, "No."

"Yes," I glared at his back, "I'm willing to show humility for them. My own matters aside, they can't be the Twelve Holy Knights if they're divided!"

"If you want to be a good leader try practicing fighting more," He replied calmly.

"Leading is not all about strength!" I announced, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him to look him in the eye, "It's about caring! Which is why you fail as a leader!"

He looked insulted, "I do not fail as a leader. I care."

I shook my head fiercely, "No you don't. You don't care enough to learn our names! To know that Earth is too shy to gather information! To know that I will never stop until we are all cooperating! You know of the people we have been chosen to become, but you don't know us. How can you expect to lead when all you know about your subordinates is the masks they wear?!"

He slapped my hand away, "I don't need advice from an amateur."

"Then are you _just_ the Judgement Knight?! Do you not have a face of your own! Tell me then, _O'_ Judgement Knight," I snapped, "Do you relish in torturing criminals? In hearing them scream? In-"

"Shut up," He growled, losing his temper. It was a frightening sight, but I bulled on.

"Are you really so heartless-"

He took a step forward and punched me. _Let me tell you, he didn't win all those duels for nothing! He was strong damn it!_ But most importantly, "Are you so cruel?"

He punched me again and I stumbled backwards, driving my feet into the ground to stop myself from falling. I turned and spat blood onto the ground before continuing, "So lonely?"

He moved to strike again but I grabbed his fist inches from my face, stopping it, "Don't look down on us! Just like you we're alive! We want to live in happiness! How do you expect to do that when you're all alone!"

All of his yelling and hitting didn't stop me, but the sight before me did.

He was crying.

_Ah damn_. I stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, patting his back in a comforting manner, "You really have one hell of a punch, do you know that?"

He laughed then pushed me back, staring up at me, frowning with a slight smile dancing on the edges of his lips, "Youre weird. But... Thankyou. Caelan."

He turned and walked away, leaving me rooted in place. _Was that a yes to cooperation?_

I shook my head, _All the Twelve Holy Knights... were we picked for our weirdness!?_

"Ah whatever!" I mumbled, turning and striding in the other direction, "I'm hungry..."

* * *

I was sitting in an empty prayer room, lounging against one of the walls and leisurely popping dumplings into my mouth. _Life is bliss~_

"Of all," A voice startled me out of my reverie and Ryder closed the door behind himself, looking at me with exasperation, "The places I thought you'd be, this is not one of them."

"It mushh be feite," I said around a mouthful of dumpling before swallowing and grinning up at him, "Or the God of Lights will?"

"Neither," He said wryly, walking over and sitting beside me, "Graytian saw you come in here alone and called me to comfort you. He figured you were coming in here to pray or something."

"I pray before I eat," I said lazily, "Youre too late."

His smile faded and he looked at me seriously, "What happened yesterday?"

I began tearing apart a dumpling absently, my long fingers pulling apart the soft dough easily, "You were conscious, you tell me."

"Brandon attacked you and you blanked. Completely. You could have been seriously injured if Young Blaze knight hadn't jumped infront of you and stopped him."

My eyebrows rose and I whistled lowly, "That I did not expect."

"Now you tell me. What happened there?"

I turned my head to the ceiling, "Ahhhh. I don't know entirely myself. When I'm around fire I just..." I bit my lip hard, drawing blood and squeezing my eyes tightly, "I just can't take it, okay?"

"... That's what you were avoiding telling me?" He sighed and put his hand on my head, patting me softly. It felt familiar and warm, and it made me want to cry, "Don't sweat it! Your secrets safe with me."

I smiled bitterly, still not opening my eyes.

"Um. Your secrets safe, so could you stop trying to freeze me to death?"

I opened my eyes and laughed. Around us ice was webbing out, and it had already turned Ryders lips blue, "Sorry."

"Geez! You'd think-"

He was interupted when the Young Moon Knight pushed open the door, frowning at us, "Meeting."

"Hey Rhett," I said, standing up and brushing snow off of my pants, "Why are you always the one sent to get everybody?"

"Its work that needs to be done," He said simply, shrugging and turning to walk away.  
"Workoholic," Ryder and I muttered, staring at him with pity as he lead up to the meeting room.

Inside everybody was sitting patiently, all except for Brandon who was tapping his finger on the table incessantly with a foul look on his face. When we pushed the door several of our friends turned to smile at us, even under the tension of the room. I quickly moved to my place at the head of the table, sitting down with a smile to Seriph.

"And what," I started, leaning back and yawning, "Is the meaning of today's meeting?"

"Cooperation."

I froze. It was Seriph. I stared at him blankly, not quite sure I had heard right, "Cooperation? That was a yes?"

He nodded seriously before turning to the rest of the table, "I've come to realise that I'm lacking as a leader," He said steadily, "We both are," _Did you have to add that last bit? Sob..._ "I may have strength and experience, but I lack understanding and caring. And visa versa."

They all looked confused, so I quipped in, "What he's trying to say is that together we hope to make a good leader for yous. But we can only do that together," I turned to him and smiled, "We are the Twelve Holy Knights. But only when we are united. That means from now on we work as a team," I looked to them and they began to nod in agreement, "So; first order of business."

"We recently found out that the rebel group plans to attack the palace," I froze, when Seriph said palace, "As you all know the young Princess will be holding her birthday ball soon, and that is when we believe they will attack."

_Seriph is definitely better at the information side! I admit defeat wholeheartedly!_

"So we're going to be there when it happens," He finished seriously, hitting his fist against the tabletop.

_Sob... This is going to be a disaster..._


	5. Chapter 4

"Caeeelaannn~" The Princess yelled, throwing herself at me in a hug. Her hair was a silky black and fell to her waist in elegant waves, her skin was fair but her cheeks were rosy, her eyes stared up at me looking brilliantly blue and framed by a set of thick, dark eyelashes. Even her lips were full and red, without the need of any makeup.

The other knights looked at me suspiciously. _Hey, hey! Don't look like you want to kill me! She's a friend, a friend! And besides, I'm a girl too… sob._

"Anastasia," I smiled, stepping back and giving a small, polite bow, "I'm afraid I'm here on business."

She ignored my bow and pouted, "You need to visit more often!"

Somebody coughed loudly.

"Sorry! I've been getting caught up in training!"

The cough became louder.

"I've been bored!" She muttered, crossing her arms and refusing to look at me.

The cough became even louder.

"I'll try my best, okay? And besides; I'll be here for your birthday!" I patted her head fondly.

She grinned in reply, and I finally turned to deal with the cougher, "Hey, do you need a glass of water or something?"

Lamar, The next Storm Knight, simply arched and eyebrow and stared at me questioningly. _Am I the only one who can't arch their eyebrow?! _Although few people knew it, Lamar was a lot closer to the Storm Knight of legends than his teacher. He was always looking out for girls… to have a serious relationship with. Given his situation, you should see why that was impossible. How could the footloose charmer, the Storm Knight, be in a real relationship?

"Everybody, this is the Princess," I said, gesturing from one to the other, "Princess, these are my Knight's-in-training."

"Oh!" She exclaimed before turning to them and curtseying, "A pleasure to meet you. Thanks for always looking after Caelan."

_Hey, Hey! Shouldn't I be looking after them?!_

"No problem," Ryder said with a lopsided grin, obviously finding the situation funny. He was standing off to the side with a large suitcase. _Hey don't tell me you brought a whole armory… _He continued, "And how do you know each other exactly?"

"Caelan and I have been friends since we were little!" She said happily, linking her arm with mine, "I use to be sick a lot, but he always visited me."

Several of the Knight's suddenly adopted envious, murderous looks. _Hey don't think that killing me is going to get you a shot at dating her, she _is_ a princess, even if she doesn't act like it…_

"Excuse me," Seriph said politely, stepping forward and addressing the Princess, "I assume you have heard the situation?"

She looked at him blankly, and I explained quickly, "There's news that a rebel group is planning to disrupt your Birthday Ball, we're here to protect you and stop it."

"Oh," She said, looking bored, "Same old, same old then. But firstly," She looked at our uniforms skeptically, "You's can't come in wearing those. It's a masquerade, you know."

"Which is why!" Ryder announced excitedly, waving his suitcase, "I made these!"

_Of course._

He opened the suitcase and began shoving the contents in our hands before nodding to himself, "Where can we change?"

"You," The Princess pointed to the others, "Can change in one of the spare rooms. Caelan however," She tugged on my arm with a cheeky grin, "Can change in my rooms."

Several of them turned to stone as she dragged me away, laughing to herself. _Are you trying to get them to kill me in my sleep?!_

"You're really evil, you know that?" I muttered under my breath, smiling despite my sense of foreboding. I'd have to sleep in a suit of armor from now on.

"Of course I am," She said offhandedly, opening the door to her bedchambers and pushing me in before closing the door behind herself, "There is no way I'm letting you change in the same room as _them_."

Her bedchamber alone was bigger than my rooms. In fact it could probably fit two sets of my rooms in it comfortably. The walls were lined with cream wallpaper, the floor was a plush white carpet, and a large chandelier hung from the soaring roof. To one side of the room was a bed that could easily fit all the Twelve Holy Knight's-in-training on it, with pristine blankets and enough cushions and pillows to drown in. To the other side sat a door which undoubtedly held her enormous closet, and next to it sat an elegant red divider. There were even a few red couches casually sitting in the middle of the room. As always her room was pristine, thanks to the work of the maids no doubt. _Royalty really live differently, don't they…_

I rolled my eyes and moved to behind the divider, throwing the costume on it as I went. It took a moment to fiddle with the buttons and zips on the elaborate outfit, but soon I was fully dressed and comfortable. _He always hits the measurements right on the head…_

I walked out from behind the divider and to the nearest mirror, which stood taller than me.

"Nice," Anastasia commented appreciatively, "If you're not careful I might steal your young Metal Knight and turn him into a court tailor."

I laughed, "You should tell him that, it'll make him happy."

Staring back at me in the mirror was an artwork. I wore white, tight-fitting, smooth pants that tucked neatly into long, flexible boots that zipped up to my knees. On their sides were swirling patterns in gold, and even a small pair of wings on the outer sides. The shirt was a white button-up, starting snugly around my throat and ending in a flourish at my waist. The sleeves were long and cuffed back at my wrists. On top of this was a light gold suit-jacket, frilled in the middle and at the ends. It was beautiful.

"Still," Anastasia said cheekily, walking up to me and holding a blue ball gown in front of me. It had jewels running over it like ice magic and it sparkled and shone in the light, "You'd look so much better in this."

Anastasia was one of the few people who knew my real gender, and she was constantly trying to persuade me to give up life as a knight and settle in the court with her. She resented my teacher for pushing me into this life of danger and lies.

I smiled bitterly, "You know I can't do that. I have responsibilities."

Still, I couldn't help touching the fabric in wonder. It was beautiful. I shook my head, passing her the mask Ryder had given me, "Would you mind helping me with this?"

She nodded and fastened it for me with trained hands. It too, was beautiful. Even if I didn't get to wear expensive ball gowns and walk into the room like a goddess, I had to admit that I cut quite a figure. The image was intensified by the gold and silver mask, lined with jewels and finished with two perfectly white wings on either side.

"How dangerous is it going to be tonight?" She said softly, eyes dark. I pitied her, who was constantly under threat. She was so very fragile in my eyes.

"Don't worry," I put my hands on her shoulders firmly, looking her in the eye fiercely, "I promise I won't let anybody hurt you."

"And what about you?!" She snapped, pushing my hands away and looking at me with a mix of fear, anger and helplessness, "What about you getting hurt?!"

I turned, striding towards the door and pushing it open, its sculpted surface smooth and cool underneath my hands, "I have responsibilities."

She didn't reply as I closed the door behind me.

The ball had long since started, and the room was alive with action. As I stood in the corner observing I passed over what seemed like hundreds of masked guests, all dancing and socializing under the bright lights of the chandeliers, their feet whispering over the smooth marble like ghosts to the sound of the music being performed.

"Um," A soft voice sounded beside me and I turned to see a girl of my age with short brown hair, standing near me and twisting her blue dress shyly in her hands, "Would you like to um… dance?"

I smiled brilliantly, feeling tired as I repeated the line that I had thrown at atleast fifty other of the guests, "I apologize, I'm afraid I don't feel like joining in the dancing tonight."

She flushed red and nodded, quickly scurrying away and making me feel guilty. _Being a girl must be tough for them, huh?_

"Ahem," Graytian appeared beside me, wearing a soft and fluttering outfit similar to my own, however his was a soft silver. In what I had no doubt was a moment of amusement Ryder had made his mask to look like a group of wispy clouds, "The perimeter check yielded no results. Nobody who shouldn't be here is here."

"Keep checking," I said under my breath, scanning the crowd suspiciously, "They could be with the guests."

He nodded and disappeared. Literally. _Cloud Knights are creepy…_

I looked to Anastasia, worried. She was sitting on one of the side thrones, smiling and greeting the guests that approached her. Near her stood Seriph, dressed in simple black and red attire that was a counter of my own. Even the masks were reversed, his holding two devil wings either side. Still, despite his frightful look I breathed a sigh of relief. If Seriph was with her she would be safe.

Suddenly the band music stopped and the guests turned to the band stage, confused. In front of them stood a man in plain black uniform, with a full-faced black mask that hid everything except for his smooth red hair. He took a step forward and threw his hands either side, gesturing for the guests to be silent. In a loud, booming voice he shouted, "Friends! We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the miracle of our dear Princess' birth," I let the tension in my shoulders ease. _So he was just a performer?_ I continued to scan the crowd but stopped at his next line, "Or so you think!"

My eyes widened and I turned to Seriph sharply, yelling out in a loud voice, "Protect the Princess!"

The guests turned to each other and murmured in shock, but the speaker continued, "Tonight we celebrate a different kind of miracle," He drew two flat assassins' blades from either side of his pants, brandishing them with expertise, "The miracle of death."

All of the Twelve Holy Knights had started moving to protect the Princess, including me. I pushed through the crowd roughly, not caring the least for my image. People began to exclaim and panic, pushing against each other in an effort to get away from the stage. The Royal Knight's moved quickly, making themselves into a protective barrier around the startled Princess.

"For too long," He continued, easily incapacitating the Royal Knights that ran at him with the help of other darkly clad guests who had begun to join him. I ignored his words as best as I could, struggling past the crowd to get to her and feeling my heart beat rapidly in my chest. I wouldn't make it, "The God of Light has ruled in these parts like poisonous blasphemy."

I reached forward, finally breaking out of the crowd.

"Watch," He yelled, laughing loudly, "As we cleanse these lands!"

I frowned. His words didn't sound right.

_Oh._

I touched the blade that was suddenly protruding from my chest curiously, fingers coming back wet with blood. My vision blurred and I blinked slowly. My breath was harsh in my chest, the air not coming fast enough. It was like fighting a forest fire with a bucket of water.

_That was why._

My Knights turned to me, some shouting while others stood in wide-eyed shock.

"Caelan!" Ryder yelled, drawing his short-swords in a swift motion but not approaching, fear for me in his eyes.

"What?" Somebody muttered behind me, sounding confused. I felt the blade being tugged out behind me, almost crumbling to the ground before the assassin caught me and turned me around, ripping the mask from my face, "You…"

I gave a brief, painful smile. Fate was a bitch, "Hey Kaiden. You didn't mention you were a rebel."

He snarled, face turning ugly, "You didn't mention you were the Sun Knight in training."

I didn't reply, my vision blurring until I could only make out his silhouette, "It's too bad. I thought you were a good kid. But now you're all going to have to die."

_All? Oh. He's going to kill them, _The clarity hit me hard, snapping my vision back and making me forget the pain.

I pushed him away, standing on my two feet and glaring, "Go to hell."

"Who's going to make me?" He snapped, smiling darkly, "You? Don't worry about your image, I know you're probably a murderer, just like them."

I closed my eyes, ignoring him as I gathered the ice element as fast as I could. Lifting my hands shakily in front of me I began to cast in earnest, breath coming out frosted and short. I collected the ice around myself like armor, making it form spikes over my fists. Taking a step forward I leapt, putting all of my energy into the blow. It wasn't met by the flesh I was expecting, but rather by a wall of ice. The force pushed me back, making me stumble and fall to the ground clumsily.

"An assassin _and_ a mage," I muttered weakly, "I've really got no luck today…"

"Get back!" Ryder yelled, leaping front of me and hacking at the wall. In two blows it had collapsed and he fought with Kaider blade against blade, fury boiling in his eyes as he threw blow after blow, to no avail.

In a second Kaider overpowered him, landing a clean kick to his gut that sent Ryder flying. Instead of continuing his pursuit, like I had expected him to, he turned to me.

_So I'm the priority kill, huh?_

He looked at me with disbelief, bending down in front of me and staring into my eyes intently while mouthing words to himself before finally coming out with a single name, "Caelan?"

"Die," I said dispassionately, thrusting a blade of ice into his stomach before falling into the painful blackness.

"When are you going to wake up?" Teacher's voice growled beside me.

_Oh no. He sounds annoyed. Do I want to wake up?_

"Stop pretending you're asleep," He said, sounding angry and exasperated at the same time, "You have a visitor."

I sat up, rubbing my eyes and feeling hollow. _What happened?_

I frowned. I was at Anastasia's ball then… My eyes widened, "Where are they?" I snapped, looking at teacher with fear, "Where is everybody?!"

"Training," He said, looking down at me, "They're fine. Stop worrying."

"And Kaiden?" He looked confused, "The man who attacked me."

"Oh," He said in understanding, then his face darkened horribly, "They all got away."

I cringed before saying in a small voice, "I'm sorry."

He slapped my back, "Stop saying you're sorry. You did well. The Princess is here, and incidentally…" His gaze turned to the side in irritation, "Annoying the hell out of me."

She was standing to the side, looking like thunder. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were red, her long hair disheveled as she glared at my teacher and I in turn. Then just me. Her chin started to tremble and she threw herself on my bed, sobbing loudly.

I put my arms around her instinctively, rubbing her back awkwardly as I murmured, "Shh, it's okay. What's wrong?"

She pushed me back and sat straight, glaring at me with clenched teeth, "What's _wrong_?! What's wrong is you almost died in front of me!"

"But I didn't," I said defensively, putting my hands up in front of me in case she decided to hit me, "Look, I'm fine, aren't I?"

"You could have died!" She bellowed, clenching her fist, "You were dying right in front of me!"

"Caelan is the next Sun Knight," Teacher said sensibly, staring at Anastasia coldly, "This is his duty."

"What duty!" She screamed, turning to teacher and stepping off of the bed, looking like she would strike him, "_She_ shouldn't have to do this! Why does she have to risk her life just because you're too stubborn to admit your own mistake? What if she dies next time? I swear to the God of Light that I will trace you to the corners of the earth, you monster!"

"You think I don't worry for her too?" He snarled, looking down at her like she was a child, "You might be playmates, but I _raised _her! Do you think I don't care? Do you think I wouldn't give her any choice?"

"Yes! Mother even says so, You're a despicable man!" She screamed, tears running from her eyes like a faucet.

"Anastasia," I said firmly, standing shakily and standing between them, "I chose this life."

"Because of _him_," She muttered, staring at me with sorrow, "Because he took you out of the orphanage."

"Yes and no," I said in a softer tone, "I'm grateful for this opportunity. But I know my responsibilities. I won't turn away from them just to wear pretty dresses and live in safety."

"You two talk," Teacher said, turning away and striding out of the room, "I have business to attend to."

He slammed the door after him, leaving us in silence. Anastasia stood, rubbing her eyes and sniffing. I sighed, turning and pulling on my practice uniform quickly. Next I grabbed her hand, ignoring her startled noise and dragging her out of the room. Or trying, at least. One step in and I stumbled, almost falling until she quickly supported me.

"I've got it," I said, standing again and continuing slower.

After a short while she spoke in a soft voice, "Where are we going?"

I turned and grinned devilishly, feeling a lot more stable, "Training."

When we arrived at the training grounds the other members were there, absorbed completely in their sparring. For once we didn't have a senior knight watching our training. _They must be too busy. _Seriph called out to stop and they did, looking tired but committed. Ryder was the first to notice us watching, turning around and stopping in shock. Rather than running up to me with a smile like expected he looked… pissed.

"What are you doing?" He roared, storming over to me, "You should be resting!"

I ignored his yelling, letting go of Anastasia and stepping forward. When he came close enough I struck out with my leg, making his legs fold out from underneath him. He let out a surprised noise and I stood over him, arms crossed.

"Rested enough for you?" I asked sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and stood, looking slightly more at ease but still frowning.

"Are you really okay?" It was Kaden, the next Earth Knight this time. He was looking up at me tearfully until I nodded, patting his head as I did so. _He's really too much of a crybaby…_

"I made you this," Ashton said seriously, handing me a bag of sweets. _Hey are you trying to kill me again?_

I smiled in thanks, passing it to Anastasia and muttering under my breath, "Don't eat that."

They greeted me one by one, even Brandon came forward with tired lines and made a quip to me about the incident. The last to greet me was Seriph, who wordlessly ruffled my hair.

Anastasia had stood quietly to the side, watching the procession with a growing frown, "So it's for them?"

They looked confused, but I ignored it while shaking my head, "It's with them," I said simply, looking at her while standing at my full height, my brothers standing around me, "Every single one of us chose this, for peace."

She sighed and looked at me with sad eyes, muttering under her breath, "My friend, the hero."


	6. Chapter 5

"So," I turned to the other Knights-In-Training, feeling confident, "What's our next move?"

They each looked away, refusing to meet my gaze. Even Ryder was staring at the ground with clenched fists. In the end it was Seriph that broke the silence, "We don't have one."

I stared at him blankly, "Oh. Don't look so depressed, even if we don't have a plan we can definitely do it."

"That's not what I mean," He replied, eyes tightening, "We've been kicked off of the mission."

"Oh," I said, shrugging, "Well I suppose that's acceptable, I mean it's not like we did that well at the ball."

They all looked at me in surprise, including Anastasia; who knew me well enough to raise her hands to her ears.

"DID YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT I'D SAY?!" I yelled, grabbing Seriph by the collar and shaking him. _I'll never forget this face, as long as I live…_

"Caelan," Ryder said quickly, trying to pry my hands off of Seriph, "The teachers are serious this time!"

"THERE IS NO WAY IN HECK I AM LETTING THEM TAKE OVER!" I pushed him away, fuming.

Jaylen looked confused, "Why are you so set on this?"

I looked at him blankly for a few moments. Then, using a voice like I was explaining something to a dim child, I continued slowly, "I got stabbed in the chest. He didn't even have the guts to attack me from in front. Why do you think I want to go after the bastards?"

Suddenly Eli, the next Hell Knight, spoke, "He should be allowed to request a duel."

We all looked at him blankly. Eli rarely spoke.

Processing what he said I continued in a cheerful voice, "I'm not going to request a duel, Eli! I'm going to freakin' kill him!"

Several of them immediately looked like they pitied him.

"That doesn't change anything," Ryder snapped, "You don't think we would like to chase after them too?! We can't disobey the teachers."

"Especially yours," Kaden muttered, looking scared.

"So we won't!" I said, turning around and walking in the direction of the meeting room. _That 'business' teacher was talking about must be a meeting!_ They all followed after me, looking unsure and worried. Even Anastasia trailed after me, looking amused.

Soon they all realized where I was going, and they began to try and stop me by calling after me and tugging at my arm. I ignored them all, except for Anastasia who looked positively delighted.

"You should go back," I said softly to her.

"Ha! As if! I finally get to see you crack and yell at your precious teacher!" She was skipping now.

I sighed and flung open the doors to the meeting room with wind magic, revealing the current Twelve Holy Knights all trying to keep their hair from flying everywhere. I stepped in confidently, trying to radiate an air of authority.

"Caelan!" My teacher snapped, standing up, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"No teacher," I growled, walking forward and slapping my hands on the table, "What do you think _you're_ doing?!"

He looked around me, as did the other member of the current Twelve Holy Knights. I knew that either side of me stood _my_ Twelve Holy Knights (As well as a very amused Princess) who were all prepared to stand with me.

"Enough," The current Judgment Knight's voice rumbled throughout the room, "We don't have time for games. You are to all leave, now."

None of us moved. Seriph even took a step forward to stand directly beside me, turning to his teacher seriously, "Please teacher, listen."

The Judgment Knight looked at his student with surprise, and I used this moment of silence to quickly begin speaking, "We want to handle this mission!"

"I refuse!" Teacher growled, glaring at me, "It's too dangerous."

"Even if you don't give us permission, we still will!" Ryder said loudly, moving to stand on my other side. Teacher looked caught between anger and frustration. He settled for both.

"Do you all plan to defy our orders?" He said coldly, glaring at each of us in turn, including Anastasia.

They each nodded, even Eli. That surprised me the most. Eli was always diligent and obedient, making a perfect Hell Knight.

"Eli," The current Hell Knight said seriously, "It's your duty to listen to your teachers."

Eli shook his head seriously, "My foremost duty is to obey the Sun Knight."

"So step down," Teacher said boredly.

"No, Sir. I follow _my_ Sun Knight."

I just about fainted. _I don't think I've ever heard him talk this much! Even denying a direct order!_

Teacher looked at us helplessly, "So you are all set on taking this mission," He said with a smile before nodding and saying, "Alright…"

_Yes! Now I can go beat Kaiden up!_

"Adair," Teacher called softly, turning to us and flashing his 'Devil' smile as Adair entered the room, "Put them all in containment rooms."

_What?_

I was sitting alone in a corner of a containment cell, staring at the stone walls dejectedly.

_Teacher is evil. Definitely._

I sighed loudly and stood, thankful I didn't wear my Sun Knight uniform as I brushed the dirt from my pants. I walked to the outer most wall and placed my hands on it, my eyes closed. I distorted the earth element, straining as it broke apart under my hands and left me looking out into the forest surrounding the Holy Temple.

"I guess I should start searching then," I murmured, looking up at the darkening sky. Before I left I turned back to the cell and engraved a message on the wall. Looking at it with a nod I began to sprint away, propelling myself with wind magic. The wind whipped my hair back and stung my eyes, but I ignored it as I ran in the direction of the house I had seen Kaiden in.

It took quite some time until I reached it, puffing heavily. Even if I had been healed I _did_ get stabbed in the chest, after all. I ignored the discomfort, walking through the streets openly. Eventually I reached the house, and I kicked open the door while gathering the Holy Element. Nobody was inside.

"Damn," I muttered, running my free hand through my hair. I knew that he would have left by now, but it was still annoying not knowing where to look.

I paused, a grin coming over my face. Maybe I didn't _have_ to look. He had reacted violently to Holy Light, and obviously believed that followers of the God of Light were heretics…

_In which case…_

I gathered even more Holy Light before throwing my hand skyward and sending a signal upward. It reached high in the air before I made it explode, sending Holy Light fragments scattering.

_That should just about do it, right?_

I propelled myself onto the roof and sat on its grubby surface, thinking of my next plan of action. Even if he did arrive, I wasn't sure if I could beat him. And if he didn't, it was just as likely one of his 'friends' would come to kill me.

_I probably… should have thought this through._

"Ah well," I muttered, playing with magic to amuse myself for the time being. Before I knew it I had a pristine, delicate ice flower in my hands. Next I began to slowly craft a miniature fairy to set in the middle of the flower, however I was only halfway through when I heard a noise, startling me back to my senses and making the magic in my hands fall apart. I stood quickly, the wind element I had summoned dancing around me as I glared at the presence.

"You're late, Kaiden," I said with a cold grin, glaring at him, "If that is your name."

He raised an eyebrow. _Oh you have GOT to be kidding me! How do they do that?!_

"Funny that you mention names," He said, stepping forward, "Caelan; Is that yours?"

"Yeah, Don't wear it out," I said sarcastically, summoning the ice element to cover my fists.

His mouth twisted into a snarl and he spat out in a harsh voice, "You don't deserve it."

He drew his weapons; two assassin daggers. It was at that moment I realized… _I forgot a weapon! Shi-_ I leapt upwards, using wind magic to boost myself. I almost couldn't avoid the blow he had tried to strike.

Lowering myself back to the roof I tried to distract him by talking, "And why don't I deserve it?"

He stood back, his weapons raised defensively in front of himself, His voice was harsh as he said, "Do you know what it means?"

I shook my head, starting to feel said in a serious, pained voice, "Ice flower."

I couldn't help but laugh. Whether it was a coincidence, or if he had seen what I had made, it still made me laugh. Which was a mistake.

"Bastard!" He growled, striking at me with one of the daggers. I stopped it barely with a wall of ice. I did not, however, manage to stop the second dagger from cutting across my stomach. I looked down as he retreated a step, annoyed. Then I looked at him, smiling as I cast a heal over myself. Soon the wound was gone, leaving the torn edges of my uniform flapping in the breeze.

"Useful stuff," I said, holding up a small ball of Holy Light, "Really good for-"

I stepped forward and threw it at him, making it explode in his face before using the ice blade I had formed in my other hand to stab him. The blow landed and I jumped back, leaving the blade in his stomach. He looked at me in anger and pain, his face twisted, "That was cheap."

"What can I say," I said with a laugh, "I fight how I like."

He sheathed one of his daggers and grabbed the ice-blade, yanking it out of himself and sending an arc of blood pattering onto the roof.

"That looks like it hurts," I mused.

"Not for long," He snarled, lifting a hand to the wound and closing it with Holy Light. I stared at him in shock and he grinned back, "What? Thought only your people could use it?"

He leapt forward to attack and I countered, a new ice blade striking his dagger. We continued in stalemate for some while, before he reached forward and cast a ball of Holy Light into my vision. I lost my sight for a moment, but it was enough for him to strike his blade all the way from me left shoulder to my right hip.

I stumbled back and snapped, "What happened to that being cheap?!"

He laughed through his nose derisively, "I'm an assassin, remember? I'm all about cheap tricks."

"That's it," I growled, ripping the useless fabric away, "I'm definitely taking you back with me for Judgment Knight!"

He didn't reply, instead looked at my torso in confusion. I looked down and felt like letting him stab me to death. _I'm such an idiot!_ Normally with my Sun Knight uniform I wore a tight-fitting singlet. In these clothes, however, I did not. Instead my binder was the only thing left of the torn uniform. I looked back at him sharply, "I take that back. You're going to have to die obediently now."

I punched at his head, but he quickly dodged and grabbed my shoulders, looking at me closely.

"Caelan?" He asked softly, eyes a mix of horror, regret and hopefulness.

"Don't," I kicked him in the stomach, hard, "Wear it out!"

I moved to punch him again but he held his hands in front of himself, dropping his weapon, "Caelan look! It's me! You are Caelan, Aren't you? It's you, Right?"

It was my turn to look confused.

"Caelan!" Another voice called, sounding angry. _Oh no._

I turned around to see teacher running across the roofs to us, his hair flying behind him and his eyes full of anger and worry. He stopped in front of me, grabbing my shoulder roughly and yelling, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Teacher," I said, surprised, "How did you find me so quickly?"

His face twitched, "You really have nerve to be asking that, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING BREAKING OUT OF CONFINEMENT AND RISKING YOURSELF, DUMBASS!"

"I just uh-"

"Let go of her," A dark voice sounded behind me, and I remembered Kaiden was still here. Teacher turned to Kaiden in surprise and pushed me to stand behind him, looking serious.

"Are you one of the-" Teacher started but was interrupted when Kaiden leapt forward, his blade back in hand and aiming for teacher.

"I said," He yelled angrily, "Let go of her!"

"What are you-" Teacher sidestepped, looking confused.

"Caelan!" Kaiden snapped at me, "Get away from him!"

"Um," I said, confused again, "No?"

Kaiden stopped, looking at me in bewilderment and hurt, "What? Quickly! Can't you see, he's the Sun Knight!"

"And?" I said dubiously, "He's also my teacher..."

"Don't you remember the mission?" He said, standing tall and glaring at Teacher, "To destroy the Holy Temple!"

"But why would _I_ be involved in that mission?" I snapped, "I don't have any quarrel with the Holy Temple."

"No quarrel?" He said, covering his eyes and laughing bitterly, "Even though they were the ones who killed mother and father?"

"I'm sorry for your parents…" I said softly, "But that has nothing to do with me."

"Not _my_ parents," He said, looking at me with pained eyes, "Do you really not remember? They were _our_ parents!"


	7. Chapter 6

The tension in the air was palpable as I stared at Kaiden. My breath was coming out a lot slower now, my whole body stilled like a deer staring into headlights. It wasn't true. I wanted to dispute it, but I had no manner of doing so. I was an orphan. Theoretically I could be related to anybody. For all I knew I _was_ teachers illegitimate child. But there was an equal likelihood that I could be Kaiden's sister. Greater, even. After all, what merit did claiming me as his sister have? My past wasn't known to the public, only my friends and comrades knew of my being an orphan.

"You're lying," I said anyway, staring at him fiercely, "I could never be related to somebody like you."

"Caelan!" He shouted, looking at me desperately, "Your name is Caelan Avick! We were raised near the Church of the God of Chaos! When we were little you loved nature! We-"

"Stop," Teacher said suddenly with a voice of ice, throwing me his oversized Sun Knight suit-jacket before turning to Kaiden with his weapon drawn, "Caelan, you are to go back to the church immediately."

I looked between him and Kaiden for a moment, fearful and confused. Kaiden looked up at me desperately still, his eyes trying to catch mine. Teacher wasn't looking at me, but Kaiden. Still, I could see the sadness and anger in his eyes as he snapped, "Now. I promise I won't kill him."

I obeyed. At first I turned and began to walk slowly, my feet dragging as I pulled the jacket on with shaking hands. Then I began to sprint, then run. With each step I sent out a wave of wind magic, propelling myself into the air. Slowly I lost myself to the task, no longer thinking, only running. I counted my breaths as they filled me lungs, burning with their frigid coldness. I felt the wind whip my face unforgivingly, only a small part of the reason that my eyes had begun to tear up. I ran until my feet ached, until it became hard to breath, until I forgot everything. And then I stopped running.

I was at the Church, standing on its boundaries indecisively. Squeezing my eyes tightly I pushed down the well of emotions that threatened to consume me, turning in the direction of my rooms and beginning to stride to them in fast, hurried paces. A few knights exclaimed when they saw me; disheveled and wrapped in the present Sun Knights uniforms' jacket. I ignored them until I finally threw open the door of my room, locking it securely behind me. Only then did I throw off Teachers uncomfortable jacket and stride to the bathroom, splashing my face with cool water. Afterwards I stood, hands either side of the sink and head down, unmoving.

_I am Caelan, I am the next Sun Knight... I am Caelan, I am the next Sun Knight..._

Suddenly the mantra I repeated to myself in times of trouble and uncertainty lost its meaning. I ran my hands through my hair, sinking to the floor and lying on the cool tiles for some time, trying to ignore the thoughts that plagued me.

_If Kaiden is telling the truth, I am Caelan Avick. If he isn't, I am Caelan Sun. If this is actually a mission, I am most likely the Sun Knight for the purpose of... taking down the church of the God of Light. If this isn't.._

I clenched my teeth and rubbed my eyes with my balled up hands, trying to breathe deeply. I hated not knowing. Hated not being able to think clearly. Hated being indecisive. Hated being... scared. After all, if he was truthful I could be a spy, sent here like a ticking bomb ready to explode. And if he wasn't, I was back to being an orphan without a last name, without a family.

Gradually I began to resort to my basic instincts. The first being that I was tired, and cold after laying on the chilly floor of the bathroom. I dragged myself into a standing position and stumbled into the bed, not bothering to take off my shoes or change my clothing as I sunk into the thick, inviting blankets. A dim part of my brain recognized that I had slept for such a long time only a few hours earlier, and that this was probably shock, and that I should try my best to stay awake and alert.

I ignored it.

* * *

_I clambered through the trees, breathing in the air deeply and ignoring the scratches and bruises that were forming as I clumsily slipped and bumped against the dark, hard oak. Slowly but surely I climbed until I reached its uttermost peak, scrambling to sit on the thin, uneven branch. Grinning widely I threw of my hood, staring up at the moon admiringly._

"_Caelan," Brothers' voice came from below me, making me turn my head downward. He was walking unsuspectingly, his hands cupped around his mouth as he called out my name._

Hehe…

_I pushed off one of my shoes and aimed it carefully to land on his head. 1... 2… 3! I dropped it, holding back the giggles that threatened to shake me._

"_Ow! What the…?" He held my tiny shoe in front of him, looking up to where I sat with an exasperated sigh, "What are you doing here?"_

"_Exploring!"_

"_All the way up there?"_

"_A-huh!"_

_From where I sat I could see the bright whites of his eyes as he rolled them. He waited a moment before calling out, "Are you going to come down?"_

"_Nuh-uh!" I said cheekily, swinging my legs merrily, "I'm bigger than Brother now!"_

"_Is that so?" He said, grinning wickedly before beginning to levitate, sending the leaves in the tree rustling loudly. Eventually he stood mid-air in front of me, arms crossed and wearing a triumphant look, "What about now?"_

"_No fair!" I said, pouting at him sourly, "That's cheating, it's cheap!"_

"_No such thing as cheap in battle," He said seriously, but his eyes twinkled with laughter._

"_You'll see!" I said happily, "One day I'll become a master at magic and kick your butt!"_

"_Hey, I said there's no such thing as cheap in _battle_," He leant forward and ruffled my hair playfully, "Sparring is different."_

_I grinned widely, shaking my hair and sending my blonde pigtails swinging, "I fight how I want!"_

"_Oh?" He arched an eyebrow, instantly making me jealous, "Then let's decide it with a race back down, shall we? I'll even give you a head start."_

"_Yep!" I began to move quickly, shuffling off of the branch until I heard a loud 'Crack' and the branch gave way under me. _

_I was plummeting through the air, wayward branches slicing at my arms, legs and face as I stared at the quickly rising floor in terror. I squeezed my eyes tightly, holding my arms in front of my face in fear. I felt a sudden tug at my back and stopped mid-air, eyes still closed tightly as my decent was slowed until I was laying firmly on the ground, shaken but alive._

"_Hey," Brothers voice was close, "Are you alright?! You scared me half to death!"_

_I looked up at him, shaking with tears threatening to burst out of my eyes. He looked worried, scratches lining his face, arms, neck and legs. Even his clothing was torn in placed._

"_Look at all your scratches!" He said, eyes furrowed in worry, "Here, I'll make it stop hurting, just stay still."_

_He reached up a scratched hand, and it began to shine faintly as he brushed the wounds, making them close up quickly, "Is that better?"_

_I nodded, looking up to him in wonder as I said in a shaky voice, "What was that?"_

"_Holy Light," He said, holding some up for me to see._

"_One day…" I started, determined, "I'll be able to do that too! Then I'll be able to make all your cuts better too!"_

_He laughed, smile wide and sincere, "I'd like that," He reached forward, face serious, "But first… you need to wake up Caelan, for me, okay? You're scaring me, so wake up…"_

* * *

Huh?

I opened my eyes, feeling confused and sore. Above me stood a blurred figure, a mix of blue's, black and white. I squinted my eyes, trying my best to focus on the person leaning over me.

"Anastasia?" I asked curiously, not sure if I was seeing right. Above me stood Anastasia, wearing plain clothes and looking relieved. More importantly; in her hands she held a basin of water and a sponge. _She couldn't possibly be… cleaning, could she?_, "Where's…"

_Who?_

I looked around, rubbing my aching head, "Where am I?"

She looked startled, fear residing in her bright eyes, "You must be really sick!" She shoved the dripping sponge on my forehead, "You even have a fever…"

"Anastasia," I said tiredly, pushing the sponge away and sitting up, running a hand through my hair, "I feel fine."

"Of course you don't!" She squealed, looking at me in fright and trying to push me back onto the bed.

"Anastasia!" I said in a startled tone, pushing her hands away and staring at her firmly, "I said I feel fine…"

"Which is why you must be really sick!" She insisted, crossing her arms angrily in front of herself.

"Where does your reasoning come from?" I said in an exasperated tone, nudging her aside and standing shakily.

"… You're dripping on the carpet," She said patiently from behind me. I looked down curiously, only to see blood seeping from the wound I had received earlier. I stayed still for a moment, shocked. _I can't feel it at all…_

"Maybe I _should_ sit back down…" I said slowly, turning and easing onto the bed carefully before raising a hand and touching the area hesitantly. The area around the wound was an angry red, and where I touched felt uncomfortably warm, "How long have I been like this?"

"I don't know!" She said tearfully, "I came in and you were passed out on the bed… I couldn't get a cleric either, because… well…" She gestured towards my chest in embarrassment. My binder was still in place, but it was torn and jagged.

"Did you…" I observed the area closer, continuing in an astonished tone, "Try to stitch me up?"

"Of course I did!" She snapped, "You were bleeding everywhere!"

"Oh, Sorry…"

"Urgh! You say sorry too much!" She growled, rubbing her eyes in a tired way, "Just heal yourself already!"

I did as she said obediently, feeling the cool light of the healing spell seep throughout my body as it eased the aches and made me feel significantly lighter. Afterwards the only sign of the injury were the clumsy stitches that still stuck unevenly throughout the area, "Would you mind passing me a knife?"

She nodded cautiously, retrieving it from the small kitchen area and handing it to me warily before saying shakily, "Be careful, it was a pretty serious injury, so you may not be fully healed…"

I smiled comfortingly at her, not bothering to point out that I'd had much worse before. After all; she had always lived a very sheltered life in the palace. I imagined her forcing herself to bring a needle and thread to my skin, shuddering slightly. _It must have been hard for her._ Pushing that thought out of my mind I focused on the task at hand, carefully cutting the stitches before looking up at her awkwardly, "You may want to look away for this…"

She shook her head determinedly, her brow furrowed. I shrugged helplessly and pinched the end of the thread, pulling them out. The sensation was odd, and with each stitch I felt the tug of resistance from my skin. When I was done she pushed her hand tenderly on my forehead, frowning to herself before she said in a quiet voice, "That's good, the fever has gone down as well."

I chuckled, "We'll make a healer of you yet, eh?"

She sighed in an irate manner, turning away from me and sitting on one of the couches with a stiff back, tapping her foot. I stood and walked to her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry. I really do appreciate it, and I'm sorry for scaring you."

Her shoulder was shaking slightly when she replied, "Stop this."

"What?" I asked, frowning down at her in confusion, "Stop what?"

"This!" She snapped, turning and gesturing around the room, "Risking your life, running off without a word, training to be the Sun Knight… All of it!"

I was taken aback. She had always tried to convince me to leave it, but this time there was a fierceness I had never seen in her eyes. She was serious. But so was I.

"Anastasia," I said firmly, staring down at her angrily, "This is my choice."

"No it's not!" She shouted angrily, standing up and glaring at me fiercely, "This is all because of some misguided sense of duty!"

"It isn't misguided!" I replied, trying to reign in my anger.

"Yes it _is_!" She cried, hair swinging wildly as she shook her head at me, "This is all because you think you have some kind of duty to your teacher for helping you! To the temple for accepting you! But why should you? Why should you have to risk yourself for people you don't even _know_?!"

"Anasta-"

"No!" She cried, stepping forward to stare me straight in the eyes, "Don't try to convince me! Don't try to tell me that you're okay with this!"

"Ana-"

"I won't let you! I'll- I'll-"

"Princess," I said coldly, staring at her flatly, "I think it's time you should return to the palace." I didn't wait for her reply as I turned and strode to the door, turning the handle and opening it politely for her. Even if she was worried, this was too much.

"I'll tell them," She said softly behind me. I turned sharply. She was standing with her head looking at my feet, biting her lip.

I stared at her in horror. No matter how many times we had discussed it in the past she had never before threatened to reveal my secret. Even though it was obvious that if the truth was revealed I would cease being the Sun Knight in training, she had always respected my choice and minded her boundaries. Always prodding, but never demanding. But now she looked up at me, her eyes overflowing with tears as she said in a quiet, childish voice, "I don't want to have to see you die."

"Then you won't," I said harshly, not looking at her as I held the door wide open and gestured outward, "Leave."

"Caelan, Please!-"

"Leave!" I bellowed, glaring at the floor with clenched teeth. She didn't reply, but I could hear the soft sound of her dress rustling as she exited the room wordlessly. I closed the door sternly and rested my back against it, feeling hurt.

* * *

*As per request, the following are the names and positions of the characters within the story*

Sun Knight in training- Caelan  
Blaze Knight in training- Jaylen  
Earth Knight in training- Kaden  
Storm Knight in training- Lamar  
Leaf Knight in training- Brandon  
Cloud Knight in training- Graytian

Judgment Knight in training- Seriph  
Moon Knight in training- Rhett  
Metal Knight in training- Ryder  
Stone Knight in training- Dion  
Hell Knight in training- Eli  
Ice Knight in training- Ashton

Princess- Anastasia

Member of rebel group- Kaiden


	8. Chapter 7

"They've been released?" I demanded, fighting to keep my 'Sun Knight' smile in place.

I was talking with Adair outside the containment rooms which were all, apparently, empty now. I was dressed in my training uniform, intending to break them out forcefully if they weren't permitted out. The effort was useless now, and made me feel more than slightly silly as I ran my hand through my hair. _I'm always behind on the uptake…_

"Well where would Young Judgment Knight be?" I asked quickly, wanting to ask him for the full information report on the rebel group. If I was going to pursue the matter I had to know more, after all, and my information ability was awful.

Adair looked decidedly uncomfortable when he replied, "In the Judgment Complex. But you probably shouldn't-"

"Thanks, Adair!" I interrupted quickly, not wanting to waste time. I turned and began sprinting in the direction of the Judgment Complex, mentally running through my plan of action. First, I would gather as much information as I could. Then I would try and find some evidence concerning the matter with Kaiden. Then...

"Young Sun Knight," One of the Judgment Platoon stopped me, giving a curt salute, "May I ask why you are in the Judgment Complex?"

I smiled brilliantly at him, being to talk in halted, unsure tones, "I was just wondering… under the God of Lights' radiance where is… Young Judgment Knight?"

He raised an eyebrow, pretending to ignore my poor imitation of Teacher's speech, "The Young Judgment Knight is currently in an interrogation. If you want I could tell him that you are here…?"

I shook my head, not bothering to attempt speaking in a 'Sun Knight' manner, "No, I'll find him myself, thank you. Which interrogation room is he in?"

"Third door to your left," He said dutifully, saluting again before leaving promptly.

"What a stiff platoon," I muttered, walking down the hall. All of the members of the Sun Knight platoon were always friendly and talkative, never passing up the opportunity to stop and chat. They were especially friendly with me, as I had grown up surrounded by them and was their frightful leaders student.

"I'll have to get Seriph to encourage them to be friendlier," I mumbled to myself as I pushed open the third door of the hall easily. It wasn't even locked.

Stepping inside, and minding my feet I said absently, "Knock Knock. You forgot to lock the-" I looked up and froze. Inside Teacher, the current Judgment Knight and Seriph all stood facing one of the walls. They stopped talking upon hearing me enter, "Sorry, am I interrupting?"

I hadn't expected Teacher to be here as well. Having the current Judgment Knight was understandable, as he was probably watching over Seriph, but having Teacher here made no sense. He was the divine Sun Knight, and just being in this room could damage his reputation. He payed me no heed, not even turning to greet me. Instead it was Seriph who turned, looking flustered as he stammered, "Caelan?! What are you doing here?"

I almost laughed at the sight of him. _If I told the others they wouldn't believe me…_ After all, Seriph always maintained the cool and uncaring demeanor of a Judgment Knight, yet now he looked so out of place and uncomfortable. I began talking with a small smile, "I just wanted to ask a few questions. But if-"

"You shouldn't be in here," He said uncomfortably, striding forward and moving to lead me out, hand on my shoulder, "We'll talk outside, so… Caelan?"

I was standing completely still, staring at the bloodied mess of a man on the wall blankly. His brown hair was plastered to his sweaty forehead, his normally bright eyes cloudy and half-lidded. Bloody gashes were scattered across his chest and arms, blood dripping onto his already torn pants and down his limp limbs. Even with these abnormalities I had recognized him the second that Seriph no longer obstructed my view of him.

I turned to Teacher in horror, brushing off Seriph's hand and stepping forward shakily while shouting, "You said you wouldn't harm him!"

"I said I wouldn't _kill_ him," Teacher said coldly, not turning to look at me, "And he's not dead, is he?"

"But-" I started incredulously, unable to comprehend the scene in front of me.

"But nothing," He continued, "He's a criminal. He needs to be questioned," He turned to the current Judgment Knight, "Continue."

The Judgment Knight nodded, grabbing the whip beside himself and raising it to strike. I was quicker, throwing myself in front of Kaiden with outstretched hands and taking the blow myself. It struck my face, leaving a trail of blood and burning pain. I didn't stagger, ignoring Seriph's surprised shout and turning to the leader of the interrogation; Judgment Knight.

"Stop," I said fiercely, glaring him straight in the eye, "I can get the answers you want quicker. So stop."

He stared at me with cold disinterest before turning to teacher for affirmation. Whatever he was looking for, he must have found because he promptly left, his black robe billowing out behind him. Soon afterwards the pillar of white and gold that was my teacher left too, only stopping to order Seriph, "You are to overview the interrogation and report back to me afterwards."

With that they left, leaving a confused Seriph standing in front of the now-closed door, staring at me questioningly. I ignored him, instead turning to Kaiden in worry. The injuries were much worse than I had thought. Around his wounds was red and hot, his breathing was jagged and inconsistent, and his eyes wouldn't focus.

Without another thought I gathered the Holy Element in my hands, breathing deeply through my mouth as I let it spread over his wounds, healing the ones that I could. For the first time ever I cursed that my healing powers weren't as advanced as teachers. When I was finished only minor cuts and bruising remained, as well as the bloody trails.

I promptly moved to the rusting tap in the room, letting it run freely onto the floor.

"What are you-" Seriph started, but was promptly silenced when the water began to dance, trailing in the direction of my hands. I focused it over the bloody marks, dragging away the blood and tainting the water a dark red. When I was finished I threw the water to the side carelessly, striding to stand in front of him again. With one hand on his forehead and the other lifting his chin I could tell that he was still feverish, although slightly less so. Hoping to ease it I summoned the ice element around myself, making the air around us slightly cooler.

"Your magic has gotten a lot better," Kaiden's weak voice mused, making me breathe a sigh of relief. However the tension wasn't relieved quite that easily.

"You," I demanded, staring him in the eye, "When I was younger did I ever drop a shoe on you? And then I fell from a large tree?"

He thought for a moment, then laughed quietly, "I almost forgot about that. I guess you got your wish granted, huh? Your healing magic is finally good enough to heal my scratches too."

I took a step back, taking in a deep breath. _Not a dream then. A memory. But that means…_

"Caelan," Seriph said softly from behind me, "What's going on? Do you two know each other?"

I smiled bitterly, "You could say that."

_My brother, the rebel. After all these years…_

"What are you doing in a rebel group?" I said shakily, not bothering to explain the situation to Seriph. This didn't make sense. The brother in my dream had seemed so gentle and kind, nothing at all like the man who had plunged his blade through my chest without a second thought.

"Revenge," He answered simply, raising his head. The shackles clattered noisily against his wrists and ankles.

"Against who?" I said, fairly certain I knew the answer, if not the reason.

"_Them_," His voice was as icy as the glare he shot at Seriph, "The church."

"You know," I said conversationally, fidgeting with my clothing awkwardly, "I _am_ part of _them._"

I expected him to get angry, but instead he smiled in a fond and somewhat pained way, "No you aren't. I believe in you. You were probably just trying to take my place, just like you said you would."

Seriph walked up to stand beside me, crossing his arms in front of himself and frowning at Kaiden, "What do you mean? Take your place as what?"

Kaiden didn't acknowledge Seriph, simply shot a contemptuous glance in his direction while remaining silent. This time I spoke, "Please answer him. I don't understand."

"My fate has always been set. Since the day I was born I was to be raised and trained to one day become the Sun Knight," He said honestly, shrugging and smiling wryly, "You always said I shouldn't have to. That you would take my place so I didn't have to risk myself."

_No. If that's true, it means… No! _ I stared at him in horror, "No. I became the Sun Knight because…"

_Because I wanted to help? That's not quite right though; Anybody could have helped, perhaps even done a better job than I. Because of teacher? That wasn't right either; I was grateful for him helping me, but that had never come to mind when I thought of why I became a Sun Knight._

"Caelan?" I jumped in fright when Seriph grabbed my shoulder roughly, turning me to face him, "Tell me; What is going on? What aren't you telling me? How are you two related?"

"Don't touch Caelan," Kaiden said harshly, addressing Seriph for the first time, "Are you blind or stupid?"

Seriph let go of me, turning and approaching Kaiden instead. In a voice filled with ice and fire he snarled, "You tell me then."

Kaiden didn't answer, simply leaning forward to spit on Seriph's boots. Before he could anger Seriph into striking I stepped between the two of them, facing Seriph.

"He's my brother," I said softly, refusing to meet Seriph's incredulous stare. The room dropped into a silence so tense that even if one of the Judgment Platoon skipped in singing a lullaby and carrying ballons I doubt the tension would be broken. In the end I spoke first, after thinking these issues through quickly, "Put me in containment."

"What?" Seriph said incredulously, staring at me in shock, "I won't put you in containment!"

"Seriph Judgment!" I said loudly, startling him into silence, "This is an order from the next Sun Knight."

"No," He said firmly, not backing down.

"Then you're a fool," I said softly, "Go find your teacher. I have an important matter to discuss with him."

He looked unsure, not leaving.

"Now!" I snapped, glaring at him fiercely.

"No," He said quietly, staring at me with worry, "You're going to do something stupid."

I shrugged, walking to the door and throwing it open, "Just remember this was your choice. If you won't bring him here," I turned to look him in the eye, "I'll just have to make him come here myself."

He looked confused until I threw out my hand at the wall opposite me in the hallway and summoned a large amount of Ice Element, wishing I could cover my ears when it exploded against the wall noisily. When I was finished I turned, brushing dust from the explosion off of my uniform.

"That should just about do it," I muttered, turning to stare at him wryly, "How long do you think it will take?"

He was staring at me with a mix of shock and incredulity, "Are you crazy?!"

He pushed passed me to look at the damage with a look of horror. Outside people were starting to gather and panic, and he looked unsure of how to proceed.

"You should probably calm them down," I said helpfully, moving to lean against the wall next to Kaiden. He left swiftly, adopting a stern expression. From outside I could hear the sounds of him ordering the crowd.

"That was dramatic," Kaiden remarked, a smile twisting the edge of his lips, "You always did have a flair to you."

I couldn't help the small smile that came in reply. It faded quickly, replaced by sadness, "You said our parents were dead, right?"

He nodded sadly. We stayed in silence for a moment while I thought this over. There was a small part of me that had always longed for the truth, for an explanation of why I had ended up alone in that awful orphanage. And now that I knew I felt more hollow than usual. Not knowing what had happened had given room for imagination, for hope.

"How?" I asked softly, closing my eyes.

"I came home and our house was on fire," He replied, his voice sounding rough and uneven, "I searched for hours in the rubble. For days I scoured the whole city. But in the end I didn't find you, or them. In the end I had to assume you all perished," His voice choked up, "Bystanders told me what had happened. A group of holy knights had come through and accused our parents of treason. When our parents retreated to the house, they set it alight with their magic."

I clenched and unclenched my jaw, unable to believe it. After all, I had grown up with Holy Knights. I had many friends among them. The thought of any of them being heartless enough to do something like that, let alone a whole group of them…

The door slammed against the wall loudly, prompting me to look up. In the doorway stood the current Judgment Knight, looking dark and furious. He walked in, his robes billowing menacingly behind him as he growled at me in a dark voice, "What have you done?"

I pushed myself off of the door to stand straight before saying in a loud, clear voice, "I want to be confined."

He arched an eyebrow and said in a cold voice, "Given that you just blew a hole through one of my walls, that much is apparent. Why?"

"I pose a threat to the church," I said concisely, not bothering to explain in detail.

"And what proof do you have of this?"

I blinked, caught unaware. I had thought that as soon as I announced my position to him he would be reasonable and act, even on the slight chance it was true.

"Well," I looked at Kaiden quickly, "Some information has arisen about my past and…"

He sighed sharply and rubbed the ridge of his nose in an annoyed manner, "The half-baked lies of a criminal are what prompted you to have some ridiculous epiphany and cause all this uproar?"

_Well saying it like that just makes me look silly…_

"Leave, now," He said in an exasperated manner, "As per your wish, you are to be confined in your quarters."

"That's not what I mean!" I said loudly, "Somewhere secure!"

"Fine," He turned and left, saying behind his shoulder, "Seriph you are to guard him until further notice."

I sighed. It seemed like having a watcher was the closest I could get to prevent myself from becoming my threat.

* * *

"Why are you doing this?" Seriph asked quietly.

Dark had fallen already, and the cool night air drifted through the window of my room. He sat opposite me, correcting documents dutifully. Meanwhile I was slowly and methodically sharpening my sword, its surface shining and sparking as I ran a black sharpening stone over it.

"I'm a threat," I said softly, not pausing, "You heard what he said. I could have been sent here to tear the church apart from the inside."

He snorted, "Somehow I doubt that."

"Why?"

"If they really wanted to do damage they would have sent somebody more competent," He said simply.

"Ouch. Don't you think you would have made a better Metal Knight?" I said wryly.

"Speak of the devil," He said, looking to the door. At that moment it opened and Ryder stepped inside, looking at the pile of documents of his hand.

"I heard an interesting rumor," He said loudly, turning his back to me and placing the documents on the table before continuing, "Apparently you burst into the Judgment Complex and started ripping down the walls. And the Judgment Knight was so furious that he sent his prize student to dispose of your," He turned around and stopped, looking at us in shock, "… corpse."

"Something along those lines," I said, sheathing my sword and setting it to the side.

He walked over and lounged next to me, casually resting his feet on his legs, "I'm surprised your teacher hasn't killed you yet."

"I'm more surprised _we_ haven't killed him yet," Seriph muttered, shocking Ryder into silence and confusing Seriph, "What?"

"He's just surprised that you have the capacity to say more than five words in a sentence," I replied.

"I'm just adjusting," Ryder said with a grin, "So, does anybody want to explain _why_ our cute little Sun Knight is trying to get the Judgment Knight to kill him?"

"Who're you calling cute," I mumbled half-heartedly, my eyes tight. I breathed deeply before continuing in a clear voice, "So today I confirmed I have a brother."

Ryder sat up straighter, smiling widely, "That's great!"

"He's part of a rebel group and incidentally the one who stabbed me through the chest at the ball," I continued quietly.

"Oh," His grin fell and he looked crestfallen, "I'm so sorry…"

"No. It's okay. He didn't know it was me. Actually he thought I died when my parents did," I clenched my fists tightly in front of myself, "That's not even the most interesting part. Apparently the church's Holy Knights were the ones responsible," I looked up at the roof calmly, "And I became Sun Knight in my brothers place, most likely to fulfill the mission of destroying the church."


	9. Chapter 8

War is, unfortunately, human nature. We divide between ourselves constantly, givings ourselves new names and purposes to justify our clashes. For when we ride into war we ride not for self gain, but for a cause. Even with the knowledge that I had most likely been sent into this war to tear down the very institute that I longed to protect, it took my friend less than a minute to remind that, despite how I had entered, I entered it for a purpose.

"So you want to hide away because you think you might be a spy?" Ryder said flatly, waiting for my reply. I nodded seriously, not meeting his eye and secretly expecting him to condemn me. Instead he slapped my arm, "Rather than condemning yourself, why not prove your innocence? If you're worried you purpose is to fight against us, then fight _with_ us."

"That..." Seriph said slowly staring at Ryder with wide eyes, "Was actually quite smart."

"Hey!" Ryder exclaimed, offended, "Dont tell me you're trying to take my place as Metal Knight?"

"Then," I started quietly, "Where do I begin?"

Ryder turned to me with a grin, slapping my back good-naturedly, "That's more like it!"

_Your encouragement is going to kill me one day… My poor back…_

"Well first," Seriph began, setting his documents to the side, "There are some things that are troubling me. From your explanation it was Holy Knights that burnt down the house and killed your parents, yes?" I nodded, "Well that doesn't make sense. Holy Knights wouldn't do that, even if your parents _were _rebels. They would take them to the JudgmentKnight to gather more information. Furthermore, why would Holy Knights burn the house down? The amount of Holy Knights who know magic, excluding Holy Light, are extremely low and I can't think of a single one with the power to burn down a whole house like that. Wouldn't it just be easier to storm in and use swords? What merit did burning the house have that they would risk such an untamed and dangerous attack? And judging by the high level of magic you two can perform it's likely your parents were mages. Furthermore how did you, somebody that supposedly lived near the Church of the God of Chaos manage to get all the way here? You must have only a child at that stage, and your magic wasn't nearly as strong as it is now."

I stared at him blankly, processing the news. Next to me Ryder whistled appreciatively, "You're not the Judgment Knight in training for nothing!"

I had to agree. From my short explanation he had drawn so many conclusions… I quietly reminded myself never to get on Seriph's bad side, thankful that I had taken the initiative to become friends with him. After all, if I had a smart friend it means I could throw my problems at him consult him on some issues I might have, including the present one; which was…

"Um... and what does that all mean?" I asked, not quite getting it. After all, I was no Seriph. I wasn't _stupid_ but I couldn't throw all those complicated thoughts around in my head at once!

Ryder rolled his eyes at me. Despite his rough exterior he was actually fairly intelligent, although I knew he was way too stubborn for me to ever be able to load my problems onto him. Ahem! I mean he was too stubborn to _assist_ me. He piped in, "He's saying its suspicious, dummy. Given that information I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't even knights who killed them."

"But then who?" I asked curiously, pretending to ignore the dummy comment. I'd definitely get him back next practice session…

"Who proved to gain something by their death, your relocation here and your brothers vengeance?"

"…" I stared at him flatly before replying, "Pretend I'm a child for a moment and explain that again."

"I can't believe the future boss of the Twelve Holy Knights is so dim," Ryder muttered, rubbing his eyes, "The Church of the God of Chaos, idiot."

"What?!" I exclaimed, troubled. After all, by brothers explanation, we were members of the Church of Chaos. Spies, even. And the only reason that spies got eliminated was either because they had outgrown their use, or turned rouge. Even if they weren't needed anymore, the rebel group I had seen had been small. If a group was that small I certainly wouldn't go killing any of my spies, even if they were useless. But that meant that they had gone rouge… I was quiet, processing this revelation before continuing in a low voice, "If that's true, then did my parents turn against the church?"

Seriph nodded seriously, confirming my doubts, "Most likely. Do you remember them at all?" I shook my head sadly, not getting his train of thought until he said in an even quieter voice, "It could be that they were the ones responsible for that and your relocation to Leaf Bud City. If they were mages it would be easy to accomplish."

"So they took my memories?" It would make sense.

He looked unsure now, "I can't know for sure. If you wanted to ask somebody about magic matters it would be the Pope, not me."

"Then I'll do that," I said with a nod, standing up and grabbing my sword as a precaution, "Thanks for the help."

"What about your self-imposed imprisonment?" Ryder asked with a tired yawn, standing to follow me.

"I don't have time for it," I said firmly. I needed to prove brothers innocence soon, and I wanted more than ever to know the truth of my past.

"Wait!" Seriph said in a panicky voice, "Teacher ordered me to keep you confined to your chambers!"

I turned to him with a pitying expression before saying in a slow voice, "I hope your teacher doesn't put you in containment for this. If he does, I'll definitely break you out," I gave a thumbs up and turned to the door. He stood quickly and tried to reach for me, but stumbled suddenly and looked down to his foot in shock. It was encased in ice chains and stuck to the floor.

"Wait!" He yelled after me, struggling against the chains as I strode to the door. I threw it open and walked out, followed by Ryder who was laughing quietly to himself. As my heels clicked loudly on the polished marble I sent out a prayer to the God of Light that nobody would come pass and see the Young Judgment Knight chained to the Young Sun Knights' rooms. Still, I had a feeling that even if I prayed to the God of Light for a hundred years, the current Judgment Knight would definitely find out that Seriph failed to watch me.

_I'll never forget you, dear friend!_

* * *

I stood in front of the Pope's door, contemplating my next plan of action. I knew from experience that if I knocked politely he would take an unnecessary amount of time preparing the room to look neat and posing mysteriously in front of his desk before he answered. But if I just threw the door open there was a fair chance that I would get blasted away by some pretty powerful magic.

"Hey Ryder," I said with forced casualness, "Open the door, would you?"

"I don't remember becoming your servant," He said, staring at me suspiciously, "Why can't you open it?"

"Just look at them, idiot!" I gestured to the massive, ornate doors, "They're heavy and hard to open!"

He snorted, stepping forward to open them, "This is why I say you need to practice more!"

I didn't reply, laughing internally as he shoved the doors open cockily. He had the time to turn to me and laugh at my expense before he was blown away by one of the Popes booby traps. He tumbled all the way back to where I stood, looking smug.

"What the hell was that?!" He shouted, jumping up and glaring at me.

"Punishment for calling me stupid," I said happily, walking through the now-open doors without a worry. When I stepped inside the Pope was standing in front of his desk, looking angry. I strode over to the seating area; flopping onto the armchair with a cheeky grin on my face and leaning forward to poor myself a cup of tea, "Long time no see."

He didn't reply, instead turning to Ryder with a look of irritation before snapping, "Close it after yourself."

Ryder nodded reluctantly, pushing the large doors closed cautiously behind himself before moving to sit next to me, shooting me a dirty look along the way. The Pope walked over to me, face brimming with suspicion before saying loudly, "What brings you bursting into my rooms at this hour?"

I bit my lip. I _could_ tell him the whole story, but that would take time and effort. Instead I said simply, "I have suspicions that my memory has been… altered? Like somebody has taken away the time before I went to the orphanage."

He frowned, "You came here just for that? Any low-level mage could have undone it for you."

"Really?" I asked curiously, "I thought that memory manipulation would be harder than that…" I ran my hand through my hair in an irate manner, "Ah, what a pain! I came all the way here too…"

He rolled his eyes, "Taking apart any blocks is a lot easier than putting them up."

"And after I came _all_ this way," I said in an exaggerated manner, staring at him intently.

"You're not going to go away until I help, are you?"

I nodded happily at him, glad he understood the situation. Without another word he leant forward and hit me on the forehead, hard."

"Ow!" I exclaimed, rubbing it sorely, "What was that for you crazy brat?!"

The last thing I heard before descending into darkness was Ryder's surprised laughter.

"_Mummy!" I whined. My hair was hanging in a long plait and I was dressed plainly with a simple white cotton top and black cotton pants. My mother was standing with me at the door. She was tall and lean, with fair skin and dark brown hair. She had kind, blue eyes that were crinkled at the sides from years of smiling. Even now she had her bright, pink smile lighting up her face._

"_Caelan," She said in her soft, sweet voice. She leant down to me and ran a hand through my hair comfortingly, "Your brothers just going over to the Church to collect some of his things. He'll be back soon so wait patiently, okay?"_

_I pouted, shaking my head and sending my hair swinging before I continued in my childish voice, "Can't I go with him?"_

"_No," She said firmly, brows furrowing in worry, "I don't want you getting involved with the church, okay? Even your brother has agreed to stop his studies."_

_I nodded reluctantly, not liking the look of worry she wore despite not knowing the implications of it. She bent down and swept me up, smiling down at me happily while saying cheekily, "Your daddy cooked up some sweets earlier. Shall we commence the mission of stealing them?" I nodded happily, grinning widely. She carried me into the kitchen, tiptoeing silently throughout the small house. The walls were a creamy white, covered in paintings of my family. The floors were a deep brown wood. Everything was so painfully familiar, even the smell of baked sweets that wafted throughout the hall, growing stronger as we approached the kitchen. Mother crouched at the doorway, trying to keep us out of sight as we peeked around the corner. Father was standing with his back to us, tying his shoulder-length blonde hair up. Behind him was a small table, in the middle of which a large platter of cookies sat temptingly. I focused on it in wonder as Mother summoned ice magic, using it as a rope to slowly drag the platter to us. It moved slowly, inching towards the edge steadily until a loud voice startled us and made the Ice Element disperse. Father was standing with his muscly, tanned arms crossed in front of himself. Bits of his golden hair hung in front of his face messily while his green eyes sparkled with amusement._

"_Not so fast," Fathers voice came out, filled with mock seriousness, "O' Diabolical thieves! I will defend my cooking with my life!"_

_I laughed and ran forward, throwing myself at him. He grabbed me mid-air, spinning me around a bit before hugging me tightly, "I've captured you!"_

"_Daddy," I said in my most pitiful voice, staring up at him with big eyes, "I want a cookie!"_

"_You're so…" He paused before grinning widely, "Cute! As expected of my daughter!"_

"_Careful dear!" Mother said in a muffled voice. When we turned to face her she was leaning against the table against eating one of the cookies. She stopped to swallow before continuing, "If you're not careful you'll end up with a big head life your father!"_

_He set me on the table and put his arms around mother, saying cheekily, "And if _you're_ not careful you'll get a big belly!"_

_She slapped his chest playfully while I shoved a cookie in my mouth happily. It was soft and sweet, still warm from the oven. _

_There was a sudden, curt knocking on the door and my parents exchanged a startled look. My mother was the first to talk in a confused tone, "I didn't think we were expecting anybody?" Father nodded and her face got unusually serious as she turned to me, "Caelan, You stay here. Mummy and Daddy will deal with it, so don't leave this room and stay quiet, okay?"_

_I nodded and she ran her hand through my hair. I leaned into her head happily. Ever since I was little she would run her hands through my long hair as she read to me, or as we talked, or just while we sat. It was the most comforting feeling in the world. They left and I listened closely, curious. I heard muffled voices, and a door closing. Slowly the voices got louder and louder, until they were shouting. I shrunk, terrified. Mother and Father never raised their voices, yet alone yelled. It continued until everything suddenly got startlingly quiet. The door slammed again, followed by a soft crackling noise._

_I slipped off the table, tiptoeing quietly into the living room where I had heard them and hoping that they wouldn't be angry. As I crossed the threshold to stand on the normally-white rug everything was bathed in an orange-red glow, and it was hot for reasons that I could only account to the rapidly spreading fire. The rug was speckled with drops of red, and mother and father laid in the middle. I walked over shakily, terrified as I began to shake them. They were shaking slightly when they looked up to me with regret in their eyes._

"_What-" Suddenly they pulled me into a tight embrace between them, exchanging a pained glance before turning to me._

"_We're so sorry," Mother sobbed, burying her face in my hair while I stood in confused shock. Their breathing was jagged and uneven, but their grip on me was tight, "We wanted to keep you two away from all of this. We thought they would let us leave... We should have never…"_

_Her voice broke down in sobs, then fathers hand appeared on Mothers shoulder, her voice replaced by his own weak, uneven one, "We need you to be a good girl by yourself from now on. You're going to go somewhere far away, and you're going to forget until your big enough to remember, okay? But you're going to have to be brave," He paused, struggling for breath, "For us," They looked down at me with tears streaming down their face, and the fire got uncomfortably close, burning my hair and clothing slightly, "And when you remember, you're going to have to find your brother for us. You have to protect each other from now on. Think of it as a mission," They smiled down at me sadly._

_My lips shook as tears began to stream my face too. It was hot, and they were holding me tightly. I was afraid. Of the fire, of their words, but most of all… of their blood. It stained me, feeling hot and accumulating on the floor around us rapidly as they whispered strange words to me, as I began to glow faintly, as the fire began to burn me._

"_We love you," They whispered softly before falling. I screamed. The fire burned intensely. _

_Then I was gone._

With that, I remembered. I accepted the mission, tears running down my face as the memories barraged my consciousness, unforgiving. Of sitting with them happily, of playing games, of fathers delicious cooking, of brothers comforting presence, and of mothers hand running through my hair.


	10. Chapter 9

When I came back to my senses Ryder was shaking my shoulder and speaking in a panicked voice. I stared at him blankly for a few moments before being able to process his words and my location.

_I'm still in the Pope's rooms. I never left._

"Caelan?! What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I mumbled, frowning and pushing his hands away, "You're too worked up…"

He sighed in relief and threw himself back into his chair, rubbing his eyes, "You scared me half to death. You went all quiet and then you just started crying… Jeez." I touched my face in a surprised manner and found what he said to be true. I wiped them away while he continued, "Did you find out who did it?"

I hesitated before lying, "No," I turned to the Pope, "Who else has the ability to do this sort of thing?"

The Pope shrugged, "Most high-class mages and necromancers. Blocking somebody's memory is a pretty high-level magic though."

"So somebody like Pink could do it too?" I asked, slightly surprised. Even after teachers numerous warnings that Pink was an extremely powerful, ancient Lich I couldn't help but view her as a child. After all, she always seemed so happy and carefree.

He nodded, "If that's all, get out before I decide to blast you away for that brat comment."

I nodded quickly, believing that he would. Without waiting I grabbed Ryder by the arm and started dragging him out, shouting a quick goodbye behind my shoulder. We strode through the halls in silence for some time before Ryder said in a quiet voice, "Why did you lie back there?"

I paused. As expected of Ryder, I can't slip something like that past him so easily. Still, I couldn't give him the answer. Instead I turned my head and said in a firm voice, "Nothing. You should go back to your rooms, it's getting dark…"

"Caelan," He said seriously, pulling me to a stop, "Tell me the truth. You're planning something, aren't you? What happened back there? What was it that you remembered?"

I clenched my teeth against the barrage of emotions that came with remembering. I answered his question with another, partly as a means to distract him and partly for my own greedy curiosity, "What would you do if you found out," I bit my lip, not sure how to word it correctly, "That I was somebody… very different to what you thought?"

He frowned, eyebrows meshing as he asked, "What are you trying to say?"

I sighed softly before replying, "Nothing."

I was talking about my gender, of course. Until recently it had never occurred to me what would happen if I was revealed. After all, it seemed like something that could never happen. But now I couldn't help but feel regretful for having to lie all of these years. Eventually I would have to tell them, and then what? What if they didn't accept me? What if they hated me for deceiving them?

"No matter what changes, You'll always be Caelan," He said with kind, soft eyes that made my heart twist. He was my best friend and I couldn't even tell him the truth. I had no doubt that he would keep my secret, but I still feared he would hate me afterwards.

"I'm going to go water my flowers," I said quietly, turning to stride away before he stopped me by grabbing my arm tightly.

"I'll come with you," He said seriously, moving to follow me. I shook my head firmly.

"I want to go alone," I said, not waiting for his reply before leaving. I could feel his eyes on my back as I walked away, ashamed. Still, I didn't have time to waste. Before tomorrow I had things that needed to be done, regardless of the time. Firstly, I had to water my flowers. It didn't seem that important in contrast to my other tasks, but it had to be done. They hadn't been watered since the day that teacher had scolded me.

When I arrived I had to light my hands with Holy Element just to see. Luckily the flowers looked as healthy as ever, standing at about the height of my knees and swaying slightly in the midnight breeze. They were my favourite type of flowers; Sunflower's. Their petals were soft and golden, always reaching for the sun regardless of storm or shade. I sat down, streaming the water from a nearby pond over them gently. I continued for some time until I heard somebody approach, panting slightly.

"I found you!" Seriph exclaimed angrily, glaring at me. I turned and smiled innocently, patting the area beside me for him to sit. He did in a huffy manner, crossing his arms while still glaring at me, "You ran off without me."

"Yep."

"Are you going to tell me why?"

"Nope."

"…" He sighed, shoulders easing, "I'm definitely going to crack and kill you before we can even become Knights."

I laughed, "You can try, but don't be so sure you'll win."

He ignored the comment, instead running his hand over one of the flowers, "Are these yours?"

I nodded proudly, sending my golden hair swinging slightly. It was growing out quickly, as it usually did. I had to constantly cut my hair, as it would grow out to my shoulders in a week. It was unusual, and a general pain. It wasn't like I could just grow it out, either. I had to cut it often. I pushed the thought out of my head. With a smile I continued, "Aren't they pretty?"

He nodded, smiling slightly, "They're very… bright."

"Of course they are!" I boasted happily, "I've raised them all by myself," He looked surprised, "It's been hard, but I love it."

He nodded slowly, "It must be nice, having a hobby."

It was my turn to be surprised, "You don't have one?" He nodded and I paused, thinking before bursting out, "You can share mine then! I won't always be around, and they need watering periodically."

He looked happy, "I'd like that. Somehow I doubt you'll go on that many missions out of the city though."

I didn't bother correcting him, instead standing and brushing the dirt off of my clothing, "We should probably head back now. I have some things to do in my room, if you want to accompany me…?"

He nodded and stood too, back to his "Judgment Knight in Training' attitude. This prompted me to complain as we walked, "You're too serious! So is your platoon. Every time I see them I worry they might get constipated," He laughed, "Promise me you'll encourage them to be a bit friendlier?"

He nodded helplessly, "I'll try. After you," We were standing in front of my rooms and he held the door open courteously, no doubt in an effort to keep me in his line of sight.

I nodded and walked straight to my desk, collecting a quill and paper and beginning to write in quick, scratchy writing. I had never managed to copy teachers' elegant script, and had resolved to simply not correct documents to prevent from damaging my reputation. Now, however, it was necessary. I made sure that Seriph wasn't watching until I finished writing and folded it neatly, dabbing a wax seal on it firmly before handing it to him, saying, "When you have time have one of the Holy Knights deliver this to the Princess for me, would you?"

He took it, looking confused, "Why can't you?"

"I have things to do," I replied, leaning out the window to check the position of the moon. It would still be dark for some time. Perfect. Leaning back in I didn't pause before I walked over to him, "Sorry about this."

This time he was prepared. Whether he had been on guard the whole time, or had become wary because of my tone, I don't know. But when I swung my arm to try and knock him out he blocked, looking at me with narrowed eyes, "What do you think you're doing?"

I gritted my teeth and began to barrage him with blows that he easily blocked, "Saving your life."

"It seems more like you're trying to get me out of the picture," He darted forward, pinning my shoulder against the wall with one hand and grabbing my face with the other, "What happened to not being the Twelve Holy Knights if we're divided?"

I closed my eyes in a pained way, not wanting to have to look him in the eye, "I'm not part of the Twelve Holy Knights," I answered, swinging my knee into his gut with a boost from my wind magic. He stumbled back but didn't fall, holding his hands in a defensive pose in front of himself.

"Not this again," He growled, "It doesn't matter why you came to the church! You're one of us!"

"That's not it," I said quietly, stepping forward and launching a kick which he easily blocked, "I'm leaving the Twelve Holy Knights. I can't remain here any longer."

It caught him by surprise, I could see it in his eyes. The confused pain. It made me want to stay. For a second my resolve wavered, then I set it firm again. _I have to do this._ I breathed deeply, "Goodbye."

He had predicted and blocked all my blows so far. What he didn't predict was me picking up the chair beside me and promptly breaking it over his head. It was a cheap blow, I had to admit. But it was effective none the less, and in a second he was laying unconscious on the ground. I grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him onto the bed, wrapping the blankets around him to make it seem like I was sleeping. Then I slipped my sword through my belt firmly and swung myself out of the window and onto the roof. From there I ran to the Judgment Complex silently, determined as my feet brushed the roof for brief steps until I was sent hurtling into the air once more. In what seemed like no time I was sliding through the halls of the Judgment Complex quietly, elements of magic ready at my fingertips to incapacitate anybody I saw on the way. The complex was eerily quiet, causing me to frown in confusion. Usually it had patrols, even at night. Proceeding with caution I edged into Kaiden's cell, holding my finger to my mouth to keep him silent. He looked confused until I cut the shackles binding him and began to lead him out slowly, not pausing to explain.

It wasn't until I reached the forest outcrop surrounding the Church that we began to run, and I explained quietly, "I'm coming back with you. First I need to see an old friend, okay? But after that we'll return to the group from the Church of the God of Chaos."

He looked happy and proud, reaching out his hand to tousle my hair, "I knew you'd come to. I'm so happy I found you again," Tears threatened to spill over his eyes and I smiled back earnestly.

"So am I," I replied, "Don't worry. We'll be safe soon. So just trust me, okay?"

He nodded fondly, his eyes crinkling slightly at the side. Soon we stood still, and his look of happiness changed to confusion as he said, "A doll shop?"

I nodded, turning to him before entering, "Stay concealed out here. This shouldn't take too long, but don't come in. No matter what, you hear me?"

He nodded in a somewhat exasperated way, one corner of his mouth tugged up in a smile. I turned and entered quietly, calling out, "Pink? I have a deal to make with you. I'm willing to pay."

It was half an hour later that I exited, breathing a sigh of relief when Kaiden came back into sight and said in a cheerful voice, "Shall we go?"

I nodded and followed him through the streets quietly, staring at the rising sun with worry. I hadn't expected to take so long accomplishing my tasks, and now I was running out of time. Soon somebody would notice that I was no longer in the Church. I imagined how furious Seriph would be and prayed he wouldn't wake up until I had left for good.

We moved from the market streets to the outskirts of the city, and I tried to take in every moment of it., tried to imprint Leaf Bud City in my mind. Its long, winding streets paved with bricks, he array of houses that lined them, the smell of it. All around us the early-rising shops began to open, starting with the bakeries; signaled by the sweet and savory smells that wafted to us.

"It smells like fathers' cooking," I said softly, closing my eyes and breathing it in.

He looked pained when he stopped suddenly, looking unsure. I waited for a moment until he began to speak, "Caelan, I…" He clenched his fists, "I'm sorry. I must seem so selfish…" He looked back to me, "After all, you were so happy… I should have-"

I shook my head, interrupting him, "No. We're family. I wouldn't give you up for all the harsh realities in the world."

"Really?" He asked hesitantly. I nodded and gestured for him to continue walking. He did, and I followed without a word. _This may be the last time I walk these streets,_ I thought dimly. The world began to be bathed in the soft orange glow of the morning, warming me as I walked and stared, _Everything is so beautiful. How did I never notice? How did I ever take all this for granted?_

"We're here," Kaiden said, breaking me out of my ponderings, "When we go in, let me speak. They're going to be wary of you, so just keep close to me."

I nodded and followed him in closely, keeping my head down. On the outside it had looked like a normal house, but inside showed the truth. Several black-clad figures were scattered throughout the house, most armed. On the wall several hooks stood, hanging with belts full of weapons. I tried to imagine my parents here, wearing those belts and failed. They seemed too gentle to be assassins. I tried not to dwell on the thought as we walked through the house, fleet clacking slightly on the rough wooden floor. It was a one-story house, which made sense given that more than that could only exist in the wealthier parts of the city. We turned into a well lit room and stood waiting to be acknowledged. Inside several black-clad people stood in a circle around a table. On top of it was a map, and at the head of it was an extremely plain man. He looked to be in charge as he talked loudly, pointing to places on the map with fierceness. The others nodded and dispersed, leaving. When they noticed Kaiden they looked shocked, then happy. One even called out to him, "Glad to see you're back!"

The man at the head of the table moved forward with a smile, arms raised either side of him, "Kaiden, my boy!"

Kaiden saluted formally, back straight, "I apologize for my absence, general."

The general was as I had described him; plain. His eyes were a plain brown, his hair a plain brown, his skin a plain tone and all of his features utterly plain. The perfect assassin.

"No matter, no matter," He said in an off-handed way, "A little absence is no problem from one of my finest agents. And it seems you've brought somebody back with you…?" He gestured to me curiously.

"Yes General!" Kaiden said with a large smile, gesturing to me also, "I found her recently. She helped me escape."

The general looked surprised, "I apologize, I thought you were a man."

"She has been," Kaiden explained, "She was the Sun Knight-in-training."

The general turned to me, "Is that so? And what brings this…" He smiled sharply, "sudden change of heart?"

"She realized the truth," Kaiden said, "And who she was."

"And other than the _Sun Knight_ in training," He said, obviously not amused, "Who is she?"

"My sister," Kaiden said quickly. The general stilled, looking shocked, "I only recently found out she wasn't dead."

"That is…" The general said slowly, looking at me warily, "News to me as well. Happy news, of course."

"Actually," I said quietly, staring at the general steadily, "My choice hinged moreso on the truth of my parents death."

"And how did you find that?" The general said intently, trying his best to seem casual.

"I told her-" Kaiden started, but I interrupted him by putting my hand on his chest and stepping forward.

"It wasn't that hard to find," I said loudly, "After all. I was there till the end. Up until they sent me here and entrusted me with a _very_ important task."

The general was completely frozen, glaring at me before saying in a cold voice, "You had best leave while you still can."

That sentence confirmed all of my suspicions. I was no Seriph, but even I could remember a voice. Even I could piece together the painful truth. My next statement was filled with fire, "That's odd. I don't remember you giving _them_ the option to leave," I took another step forward, drawing my sword, "Actually it seems you went to great lengths to _stop_ them from leaving."

The general laughed, covering his eyes with a hand when he replied, "I certainly was careless that day, wasn't I? I even left such a dangerous loose end," He paused, lowering his hand and staring at me thoughtfully, "Actually perhaps it wasn't that dangerous a loose end. After all…" He smiled darkly, "It should only take a little fire to purge you."

"And it should only take a little ice to purge you," I snarled, ice element beginning to frost the air around me.

"What?" Kaiden's voice sounded small and broken as he stepped forward, "Weren't you going to help us? What about avenging our parents?"

"Kaiden!" I snapped, "Stop trying to ignore the situation. Isn't it obvious? The one who killed them isn't the church. Wake up. The person who killed them is standing right in front of us. And he probably wasn't the only one. This whole sick group is the reason they died. Because they weren't going to be allowed to leave it."

"No!" He said loudly, his voice choked, "That can't be true! I've been with them for so long and I-"

"Have been their pawn. Remember back to that day. You went to the church to _leave_ it, so we could live normally," I said quietly, "But don't worry. Soon we'll be back to normal. Soon everybody will be safe."

I leapt forward, murder in my eyes.


	11. Chapter 10

Fire and ice met in a barrage as the 'General' and I fought fiercely. I had seen in his eyes when I landed my first hit that he hadn't been expecting my strength, let alone my odd fighting style. My mouth twisted down sourly when I realised it was similar to his own; practiced to be used solo. Dont understand? Well think back to my sparring lessons. With only my physical strength to strike with I was ineffective, outmatched by people bigger and with more skill. Yet, had I only used magic, I would have been easily dealt with as I would be a sitting duck. Our fighting style was a combination of both; using low to mid-level magic to enhance and aid physical prowess. His was obviously more effective at first. After all, fire is a wild magic and can't be contained by ice without a high level of concentration that, at the moment, I couldn't afford. If I paid my magic the time it would need to overpower his own I would be dealt with in a manner of seconds.

So instead we fought sword to sword, sparks flying in the midst of our battle and nearby objects paying the price for our brutality. First it was tables and chairs, either demolished by wayward strikes or simply crushed under the growing pressure of the magic that emanated from us. As the force of our magic grew the damage became larger, shattering the floor and making the building rumble unsafely. Admist the fight people ran, crying out but not displaying the bravery to try and interfere. Wise, given that anybody without proper training would no doubt injure themselves more than either of us.

While my face was a twisted snarl of hatred his seemed truly delighted, lit up with a strange intensity. I was confused, not understanding the meaning of his happiness until he yelled out over the roar of the magic, "Your fighting is splendid!"

I felt sick with the knowledge. He wasn't just doing this for a cause, he was enjoying it. He enjoyed the violence that came with my anger, which only increased the happier he became. This monster should be writhing in guilt and agony, repenting endlessly for his crimes. Instead he fought, laughing all the while in earnest glee. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to rip his very face off, to prevent it ever showing happiness again. But I reigned myself in, trying to pull the calmness around myself as I fought, mentally playing back every sparring session I had ever had.

_You're too stubborn_, Seriphs voice floated through my consciousness, reminding me of the hundreds of times he had beaten me easily. Everytime he would say the same thing, face devoid of all emotion. Until I had talked with him properly I had always thought he had been mocking me, flaunting his obvious superiority over me. I had always fought like a rock, not budging or giving way to my opponent for a second. Seriph had always been like a river, moving around the obstacles I set with ease. This was his true nature, after all. He wasn't mocking at all, rather he was always trying to help in his own way.

I breathed deeply and retreated a few steps, pushing my shoes off as I did, and running my feet along the ground. With every strike he would try to deal I would glide backward, deflecting his blows rather than countering them. Soon I saw an anger begin to dwindle behind his eyes and he spat, "Fight properly!"

I didn't answer, focusing my magic on my feet and making the ground infront of me slick as I slid back. He barged forward obstanantly, slipping as he did so. He didn't lose face however, simply gathering even more of the fire element around himself.

"Caelan!" Brothers voice had been calling out from the sidelines as he tried to push his way close, held back by the force of the magic clashing. Somewhere in the distance I could hear more voices joining him, several calling out my name as I fought to remain calm. I had hoped that they wouldn't come, and that I would be able to resolve the matter quietly before they interfered. In the end I knew it must have been Seriph who had brought them here, using his freaky accurate judging ability. _My knights have such a good leader,_ I thought quietly to myself, praying that he would continue to be a good leader.

"Join me," The general hissed, fire dancing around him as we continued to fight, "I can give you power, money, you name it. Yous could both be elite fighters with my guidance."

"No," I said coldly, not meeting his eyes as I struck at him with the back of my sword.

His face twisted and, as our two blades met and stayed locked in stalemate, he leant forward and whispered in a taunting voice, "Just as disobedient as your parents, to the very end," My calm demeanour cracked slightly and I struck at him wildly with ice magic, face contorting in rage as he laughed to himself, "Your temper is just as hot as your mothers, you know?! Despite the attitude her primary element was ice too," His lips curled into a cruel smile, "Like mother like daughter, eh?" I didn't reply, instead slamming my bare foot onto the ground and sending a wave of ice around me, which he melted easily before continuing in am irritated voice, "If those two had just stayed obediently I wouldn't have had to gone through all this fuss!" He gripped his sword so tightly his knuckles whitened as he swung it at me, "Two of my best agents wanting to leave just to protect their stupid little family ideals!" He growled, looking at me with hatred, "Now I can't use them or their son and you're here for some pitiful attempt at revenge," He kicked me in the stomach hard, sending me flying through one of the walls and into the street.

I stood shakily as he approached, readying my magic and sword as I yelled out, "This isn't revenge! Revenge is what you're good at. This," I swung my sword widely, sending icicles arcing into the air, "Is the price of peace!"

"Peace is for delusional fools," He shouted, caught unaware as an icicle embedded itself deep into his shoulder, smaller shards speckling the rest of him and twinkling slightly, melting gradually under the heat of his flames. In the end the effort only amounted in tiny, pin sized wounds and a larger one on his shoulder. In a casual manner he reached up and pulled the icicle out, carelessly tossing it aside as he continued, "I guess that parts genetic too, huh? Must have gotten that little gem from your arrogant parents," He covered his blade with fire menacingly, "Always thwarting my authority!" He jumped forward and tried to strike me, his blow landing onto the cobblestones as I jumped aside, "Always calling for peace!" He swung again, his blow missing my by a few inches, "They were assassins who didn't seem to realise they were assassins!"

I stopped, dropping my sword and smiling as I raised my hands high either side of me, "No. They knew what they were. But they were good people," I clenched my hands tightly, ice element radiating all around me as I focused, "And in the end you're the one," I glared at him with a triumphant smile, "A dead man... who doesn't realise he's a dead man!"

As I shouted the last sentence I began to morph the icicles I had embedded into him earlier. I had let him think he had melted them, but all along I had been breathing life into the minuscule specks to keep them from melting. Now, as he stood looking confused... I let them bloom.

All over his body icicles began to grow, weaving out and taking form around him. They expanded, dealing him with crippling injury but not killing him. That I saved, walking toward him with my eyes filled rage and tears. I stopped infront of him, watching as he writhed helplessly on the ground. In his eyes was terror as I reached into my uniform and withdrew a long, thin dagger and held it out infront of him, "It seems only fitting that you be killed by their blade," I said loudly, gripiping it tightly with both hands to plunge into his chest. As expected, now that the magic wasn't keeping others entering the area, Seriph darted forward, stopping me from landing the blow. I turned to him angrily, "Let go!"

He shook his head firmly, staring down at me with his dark eyes, "This isn't justice. He has to face a proper trial."

My hands shook as I lowered the blade, stepping back and nodding without meeting his gaze. The general snorted loudly, "The same! The lot of you! Always following your stupid little rules and living for your self-righteous duties! In the end where did it get them, though? Dead!"

I clenched my teeth and turned, shaking off Seriph and stabbing the blade deep into his uninjured left shoulder, hearing him cry out in pain as I turned and strode away sharply. My feet slapped against the cold ground as I walked to where brother stood, shaking and with his head hung. He didn't lift it as I approached, but instead I heard him mumble to me, "What have I done, Caelan? All these years I've spent tainting myself while working for the very people that killed mother and father..."

He sobbed, fists clenched tightly. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around him, smiling sadly as I did so. In a soft voice I whispered to him, "I told you to believe in me, didn't I? I promised I'd bring you peace, and I will."

I heard a shout from behind me and turned my head, not letting go of brother as I looked for the distraction. The general had somehow managed to throw Seriph away, and was currently reaching out to us with a confused expression. His left arm lifted and I I took a startled breath as we were engulfed in raging flames.

* * *

This was not the story of how I, the unlikely Sun-Knight in training, became the Sun Knight. This is the story of how I, Caelan Avick, together with my brother... Died.

* * *

Sorry for how short this chapter was! I didn't want to delay their fight any more, but I still wanted to end this chapter with a flare. (Get it? Cause of the fire? Haha... I suck at puns) Stay tuned for the next chapter (Yes there will be a next chapter, and this time from Seriph's POV) and thankyou for reading this chapter, and the ones before it! I hope you have, and will continue, to enjoy this mini-series as it reaches the climax of this arc.

I often look at the traffic charts of this story, and even if you don't realise it, I can see that you people have been reading, and it makes me super duper happy! If your shy I can understand, but I'd love to hear your opinions, ideas and thoughts on the plot so far!


	12. Chapter 11

When I first became the Judgment Knight in training Teacher had dutifully explained to me the true nature of the Twelve Holy Knights. He explained to me that, although I was to be the Judgment Knight, that I did not have to abandon my true nature. At that time he had looked at me seriously, a towering figure of black robes, and said in a serious but kind voice, "Child. I chose you, not because you were best suited as the Judgment Knight, but the contrary. Because you were very unlike the cruel and heartless image that the Judgment Knight wears," At the time I had felt a wash of shame, unable to believe his words. When he had picked me I had inflated, thinking I could finally serve a good purpose, but now he was telling me that I was unworthy. I must of looked pitiful, because he shook his head and his serious face softened, "Child I picked you because you were kind and thoughtful. The path of the Judgment Knight is a harsh one, filled with pain and darkness," He looked up to the symbol of the God of Light, "And I would never dream of handing this role to somebody who was unkind and unforgiving. In truth, we Twelve Holy Knights are not a people, but a role that must be fulfilled. And that is why you, who is without hatred in your heart, must be the one to pass fair Judgment. Do you understand?"

I nodded obediently, despite not quite understanding. What he was saying disputed all of my knowledge of the Twelve Holy Knights. To say the role of the cruel Judgment Knight must be filled by somebody kind was a complicated oxymoronic statement, and as a child I wasn't able to understand the depth of it.

Teacher must have seen that confusion, for he continued in a clear voice, "As the Judgment Kight you will have to complete many difficult tasks. You will have to lead your platoon and the cruel division, and you must fit your role to the best of your ability to do so properly. You will have to pass judgment on criminals, most often in the form of torture," His dark eyes looked pained as they look to mine with pity, "These tasks will all be hard on you. However," His face got even more serious, his brows knitting together as he continued, "Your most important task may also be your most difficult."

He paused, looking unsure until I said in a calm voice, "I am willing to complete any task for the sake of the Church."

He looked relieved and smiled softly, nodding to himself, "Good. Because your most important task is to protect. Protect the city, protect the church, but most of all... Protect your Sun Knight with your life."

The thought of the cruel and indifferent Judgment Knight having to protect his loached opposite, The Sun Knight, had made no sense to me for such a long time. After all, the whole continent knows that the Judgment Knight cares for nothing except justice. Still, as the years passed by I obeyed teachers most important task.

I spent my years as a training knight looking out for the Sun Knight in training dutifully, making sure he didn't come to any fatal harm. At the same time I began to feel a sense of irritation. For years I couldn't understand why I felt this irritation, instead choosing to ignore it as I kept watch over the Sun Knight in training. He never noticed my presence as I kept my eyes on him; during study, sparring and in my spare time. My best description of him was that he was odd. He seemed so carefree; easy to laugh and smile as the other training knights gravitated to him. Even the Holy Knights and Clerics came to greet him happily when they would pass. Even with all this attention he never seemed to grow conceited, Instead he seemed to grow even more happy and kind, helping and sharing as easily as breathing. He didn't seem to think anybody below him, not even the flowers he tended in his spare time. He was someone whom was loved and who loved easily, yet to me he seemed so very... annoying.

I beat him in practice again for the umpteenth time, sighing as I did so. After once again trying to correct his stubborn fighting form by informing him he was being too stubborn I walked away again, hearing him yell the usual nonsense out behind me. Soon we were told to disperse, and I stopped to affirm his safety.

He was currently surrounded by a few of his friends, consisting of the young Metal, Earth and Cloud knights. He stood, his bright blue eyes crinkled in a smile as he comforted the young Earth knight happily, his mouth curved up in his easy grin. His friends surrounded him, laughing and talking together happily. He ran his hand through his short, golden hair. It was a habit I had long since noticed of his, and though I usually paid it no mind today it caught my eye. It wasn't the gesture, but rather the way his hair shone brightly in the sun as he did so.

It was blinding. It was so tauntingly blinding.

Over the next few days we were assigned a mission, and I began to lead it naturally, feeling a slight sense of accomplishment for reasons that didn't quite occur to me. Soon we were divided, and I set out the missions feeling somewhat dejected. Still, my emotions were a mystery to me and I dealt with them in my usual manner; focusing them into training. Whenever I felt a spark of irritation, or a sense of dread I would train until my whole body ached and my mind dulled.

Today was no exception. What was an exception, however, was _his_ presence.

"Young Sun Knight," I said, surprised when I felt a little spark of hope light in me, confused as to why it was there. I shook the thought off quickly and asked, "What do you need?"

"Cooperation," He said in his bright voice, hand thrust forward. I stared at it for a moment, unable to comprehend the hopeful feeling that threatened to overwhelm me.

Instead of confronting the feeling I tried to ignore it, instead arching a questioning eyebrow and saying quietly, "And that means...?"

"We're the Twelve Holy Knights," He said with a poor attempt at confidence. At that moment I and to worry if the next Sun Knight was actually an idiot. After all, if he still felt the need to explain the situation like that he must be a major idiot. He continued, "It's not the Twelve Holy Knights if we're divided like this. As their leaders we have to set an example."

For some reason I felt immense irritation when he said _as their leaders_. I turned around, not wanting him to see my face as I began to attack the wooden practice dummy harder than was necessary, "I feel sorry for a division that follows your example."

"Please," he said, making me freeze in place and turn to him in curiosity and disbelief.

"Excuse me?"

"Please," He said seriously, staring me straight in the eye. _Finally! After so many years of trying to teach him this idiot has finally learnt the lesson!_

"So you've finally learnt humility," I said, feeling proud as I turned around but still not completely eased of the unknown irritation that made me say, "No."

"Yes. I'm willing to show humility for them. My own matters aside, they can't be the Twelve Holy Knights if they're divided!"

"If you want to be a good leader try practicing fighting more, I replied calmly, hoping he would adapt the newfound humility to his fighting style.

"Leading is not all about strength!" He announced, hand grabbing my shoulder and spinning me to stare him in the eye's. They were an annoying shade of blue and filled with sincerity as he continued, "It's about caring! Which is why you fail as a leader!"

_Ive been protecting you for all these years and you think I don't care enough?!_ I was insulted and I immediately retorted, "I do not fail as a leader. I care."

He shook his head fiercely, "No you don't. You don't care enough to learn our names! To know that Earth is too shy to gather information! To know that I will never stop until we are all cooperating! You know of the people we have chosento become, but you don't know us. How can you expect to lead when all you know a out your subordinates is the masks they wear?!"

It angered me. Who was he to lecture me? I knew without him flaunting the fact that he knew all of his subordinates well, that he had easily befriended them all while I could hardly speak a few words with him without him being angered. I slapped his hand away, "I don't need advice from an amateur."

"Then are you just the Judgment Knight?! Do you not have a face of your own! Tell me then, O' Judgment Knight," He snapped, "Do you relish in torturing criminals? In hearing them scream? In-"

"Shut up," I growled. What did he know of the torture I had had to endure?! Of having to cause complete strangers harm?! What right did he have to claim I took pleasure when all I had ever done was sacrificed myself so that criminals could not harm the innocent?!

"Are you really so heartless-"

Before I realised it I had taken a step forward and punched him hard in the face, striking in anger for the first time since I was a child. Still, it did not silence him as he continued, "Are you so cruel?"

I punched him again, years of self loathing echoing with every word he said. He continued still, ripping apart my facade like tissue paper with his cruel words, "So lonely?"

_Shut up, Shut up, Shut up! _I moved to strike him again, but he grabbed my fist and shouted loudly, "Don't look down on us! Just like you, we're alive! We want to live in happiness! How do you expect to do that when you're all alone!"

At that moment I broke. I was weak and unwanted, yet he was able to stand so tall infront of me. His eyes were so annoyingly fierce. His hair shone so annoyingly bright. In comparison to somebody as bland and dark as me, he was so very... blinding. So very annoyingly blinding. I felt the tears well over and drop down my face, feeling weaker than ever.

He pulled me into a hug, patting my back comfortingly and muttering, "You really have one hell of a punch, you know that?"

I couldn't help but laugh. Couldn't help but stare at him in wonder. Even if I didn't understand teachers words fully, I accepted them wholeheartedly. For somebody like this... I could risk protecting him with my life. For somebody so bright. For my Sun Knight.

* * *

"Captain," One of my Judgment Platoon approached with a quick salute. I had been leaving the Judgment Complex, but stopped when I heard him speak.  
I turned to him with my Judgment Knight frown and asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

The knight seemed untaxed by my cold attitude, simply handing me a small satchel and saying, "Knight-Captain Ice asked me to give you these, sir."

I accepted the bag with an internal sigh and nodded, letting him know he could leave now. When he didn't I asked quickly, "Is there anything else?"

He looked uncomfortable, an unusual expression for my knights. In a careful voice he asked, "Ah Sir I was just wondering... Are you going to visit him today?" I nodded quietly, unsure as to why he was asking. He quickly explained himself, stammering slightly as he did so, "Ah th-that's just... Would you mind saying hello for me? H-He was always very kind to me, especially when I first s-started and didn't know what I was doing... Ahem! That is if you want, sir..." He saluted awkwardly and left quickly.

On the outside I was wearing a stern frown but on the inside I was smiling gently. I had tried for years to interact less formally with my platoon, but in the end it only took one mention of him to bring out the first impulsive comment I had received from any of them.

I looked up to the sky, glad to see it was still bright out. It wasn't that I disliked travelling at night, but my black Judgment Knight attire made me extremely difficult to see. Last time I had almost been hit by a horse, but rather than me being flustered it was the rider who looked ready to cry as he begged me not to arrest him.

I held the satchel tightly and began to walk to the edges of the city briskly. I tried my best to ignore the surprised shouts of the citizens when they saw me, their faces turning from joy to horror at the sight of me. I didn't bother correcting them as they cried out their innocence, knowing the futility in telling them I was just out for a walk. I knew from experience that if I tried to explain the situation they would only get more flustered and begin to cause a ruckus. So instead I walked through quietly, trying not to rest my eyes on anybody for fear they would suffer a heart attack.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I crossed from the city into the wilderness. All around me trees towered tall, grass covering the ground densely and birds singing out loudly. I reached up and took off the black cloak I was wearing, revealing a practical set of clothes that I had thrown on before leaving. After all, it was hot wearing only black and I still had to walk for quite some time before I could relax. Still, I enter the walk immensely. It was quiet and peaceful near this area, and always teeming with life and vitality. Flowers peaked out of the undergrowth, their petals wide and open to the sun that peaked through the overheard foliage. I took my time, walking through the uneven terrain slowly and emptying my thoughts. I continued until the trees began to break away, revealing a large clearing that was bursting with colour. In the middle was a large tree, which surprised me slightly. It had grown so much in such a little amount of time. I approached it, trying my best not to tread on any of the small flowers and plopping down under the tree exhaustedly when I got there.

The shade was a welcome change, instantly cooling me. Even the rough bark of the tree seemed comfortable now that I leant on it, breathing in the crisp air gratefully.

"Long time, no see," I commented loudly, setting the satchel beside me carefully, "Ashton made us some food," I smiled wryly as I untied the package, "I'm afraid his cooking is still as hopeless as ever though."

Inside the satchel was a mixture of sweet and savoury fingerfoods. I picked up a dumpling cautiously and took a small bite.

"Yep. Still as horrible as ever," I muttered woth a cringe, but kept eating dutifully. After all, he had obviously put a lot of effort into this batch, "Sorry I haven't visited in so long. The church is still crazy busy trying to find a replacement, so I've been taking on a lot of the workload myself. I know, I'm a workaholic."

I sighed, looking at the ground forlornly, "Moon is a lot of help though. His head is always down in paperwork... I'm surprised his teacher didn't kill him before he passed down the role of moon knight. The same can be said of Leaf, though I suppose the previous Leaf Knight was too good a guy to ever kill his student. I don't even know if Hell has accepted his position yet. After all, he and the previous Hell knight just disappear occasionally. Not like Cloud though. I swear he's going to give me a heart attack one day. Metal even-" I stopped myself, eyes clenched. I stayed quiet for some time before continuing, "He misses you. A lot. We all do," My breathing shook sadly, "You were so annoyingly bright. So god damn stubborn. But I'd do anything to have you back here, smiling and laughing like you did before. Even after all these years, I'd still give anything to get you back with us. So why? Why did you have to die, you big idiot! We all miss you, so why couldn't you have just relied on us a little?"

I sat in silence, as I always did. Willing and wishing wasn't enough to bring back the dead, but talking and yelling still gave me some sort of comfort.

"Isn't that funny? For all the years we trained together I never once felt like talking to you," I sighed sharply, "If I had, would you have told me what you were doing? Or would I have become like Metal; left in the dark while you galavanted off and tried to fix everything yourself?" When no answer came I continued in a tight voice, "You know I have my first mission with him soon. Since the group mission, that is. We're off to catch a criminal in the north," My face twisted in a frown, "I hate the north. It's always winter, so greenery is sparse. I always end up missing the flowers here," My face lifted into a smile, "Speaking of, I have my platoon tend the flowers when I go off on missions. You should've seen their face when I first asked... I like to think they've gotten a bit friendlier, like you wanted. Today one of them even asked me to say hi to you. You always did have a way of bringing out the light in people. We need that." I stopped and ran my hand through the grass, thoughtful, "If there had even been a head. Half a head. A quarter... We could have brought you two back," I breathed deeply, eyes clenched, "But in the end all we had to bury was ash. It's a nice resting place though, isn't it?" I looked around the meadow, "I thought you would both like it here. It isn't a fitting grave for a Sun Knight, but I knew you wouldn't want to be buried in some stuffy old cemetary. It's bright here. It suits you, Caelan."


	13. Chapter 12

We had set out for the North early in the morning, Members from both our platoons in tow. I watched, feeling dejected, as the scenery changed from the bright green forests and plain of the South to the icy whiteness of the North. I rode in silence, hearing the other knights talking and socializing but not having the nerve to join them. After all, they all feared the 'Cruel and Cold-Hearted' Judgment Knight.

_Sigh… I wish the first Judgment Knight had been a bit friendlier._

We continued, our horses jostling through the steadily thickening snow, until we reached a small town. It was busy with activity, people bustling through the streets with smiles on their faces. Upon noticing me they would still, looking terrified before ducking into shops to hide. A few people even bowed awkwardly before doing so.

"Captain," My Vice-Captain approached me when I dismounted. He was tall with short black hair and a stiff personality. Well, around me at least. Every time I had tried to engage in conversation with him he had automatically gone into 'work' mode. As he was when he continued, brows furrowed seriously, "We have reports of the criminal being seen around this town. How should we proceed?"

I nodded in affirmation, turning to sweep the town over with my eyes before saying in my deep voice, "Have the knights divide and search the town. Tell them to proceed with caution; the criminal is a necromancer. Have them question some of the villagers, but tell them to be discreet."

He nodded and turned, ordering the knights in a slightly less serious voice. I sighed internally. _What am I going to have to do to talk with them a bit friendlier?_ I turned around and noticed that Metal was still standing, looking to me for orders with a raised brow.

"I'm going to join the other knights in perusing the streets," I said quickly, "You may proceed how you see fit."

He nodded and turned, leading his horse away rather than leaving it to the knights to deal with as I had. Trying to focus on my task I began to walk through the streets, wanting to hit my head every time a mother would shield her child or citizens would duck into the shops in fear. Which prompted me to begin to wonder if it wouldn't be better to leave the searching for the knights. It was while having an internal debate about this when I heard somebody yelling out loudly, "Thief!"

I immediately rushed to the sound, just in time to see a girl in tattered rags running away, darting through an alley as she did so. I dutifully followed, grateful I didn't have to push through the crowd as they easily parted, looking terrified.

I ignored them, my feet hitting the snow hard as I ran after her, my dark robes billowing out behind me as I shouted out for her to stop. I knew it wouldn't work but it felt better to at least _try_ and convince her to stop, rather than simply chasing her down. After all, she definitely couldn't outrun me.

I continued until we met a dead end in the alley and she turned to me, looking frantic. She was panting heavily and clutching something close to herself, her dark brown eyes watering in fear.

"You," I said in a deep, booming voice while adopting my Judgment Knight face, "Return the-"

Once second I was talking and the next I was on the ground, eyes widened in shock. _Did I just get…kicked in the head?_

"Quickly! Run! I'll deal with him!" A loud voice called out. A hooded figure was urging the girl past me.

"Wait!" I yelled as she turned the corner and disappeared. I tried to stand but my path was blocked by the hooded figure, who stood with hands on hips. I couldn't make out the face but the cloak looked like it was of high-quality fabric,"Move!"

"No!" The person shouted again, sounding furious, "Don't you have any shame?! What do you think you're doing, chasing poor girls! You're despicable!"

I froze, shocked before shouting, "Don't make me sound like a creep! What do you think you're doing?!" I stood angrily, brushing myself off and glaring at the figure, "She was a criminal!"

The person stopped moving and made a startled 'Oh' noise before saying sheepishly, "Oh… I'm sorry I thought…"

"Well you thought wrong!" I snapped, angry and sore from the tumble earlier, "Do you not know who I am?!"

"No but I'm _really_ sorry!" The figure said, fidgeting, "I, Uh…"

I sighed sharply, rubbing my eyes as I said, "How do I know you two aren't in cahoots?"

"Well," The voice said slowly, "You don't… which is why I should probably…" I nodded to myself, glad that the person had caught on so quickly and was willingly to quietly come with me, "Run!"

_Wait, what?_

The figure disappeared around the alley, hood falling off to reveal flowing gold hair. I chased promptly, cursing my luck. This one was obviously faster than the other, and must be trained in fighting to have been able to pull the earlier sneak attack on me. In the end I lost the person when I reached the main street. She (for I was sure that only a woman would grow their hair to such a length) easily disappeared into the crowd.

"Damn," I muttered bitterly, trying to spot her in the crowd. When I couldn't I turned away from the shocked onlookers with a sigh, striding in the direction of the horses in an irritated manner. _I can't believe that I didn't just lose one criminal, but two…_ I resolved to increase my training regime.

When I reached the horses it was steadily darkening, which made sense. After all we had started travelling in the morning, but had travelled so far. It really wasn't something that could be done quickly.

My Vice-Captain approached me again, adopting his serious face as he said, "Captain, We have prepared the rooms for tonight. You and Knight-Captain Metal have the top-most rooms. Will you be needing any more assistance tonight?"

I shook my head and he walked away briskly, back to his group of comrades. _I've been feeling like sighing too much lately…_

I headed to my rooms, slightly regretful that I couldn't join my knights. But I felt slightly better when the tension of the citizens eased slightly, no doubt thanks to my departure.

After scaling two sets of stairs I realized that the rooms he had booked must be massive. After all, the entire uppermost floor only had _two_ doors. Which meant only two rooms. I pushed open one of the doors with a feeling of dread and had my fears confirmed. They weren't just massive. They were expensive.

In my room alone stood a fireplace, sitting room, bedroom and bathroom. It was so big it probably could have accommodated all of the knights in my division. And the furniture was all stained wood, obviously of high quality.

I felt like banging my head against a wall.

_They always seem to find me the most expensive lodging in the whole town! Argh!_

It wasn't that I wasn't grateful, but it showed their true opinion of me. _They must think I'm so conceited! Why couldn't I just get normal rooms?_

I tried not to lament too much, instead changing into more comfortable clothing and kindling a small fire in the fireplace. I sighed, warming my hands in front of it and feeling slightly eased. Until somebody pushed open my door. And, knowing my knights, it could only be one person.

"Metal," I greeted, not turning around.

"Judgment," He countered, devoid of all emotion, "Is there anything else that requires my help tonight?"

I turned around and tried to appear friendly as I said, "No, thank you."

_Urgh! I sound too stiff!_

I expected him to leave immediately, but when he didn't I felt a small spark of hope. _Maybe he wants to converse?_

He looked uncomfortable and sad when he asked in a quiet voice, "I heard from your vice-captain that you… visited Caelan's grave?" I sobered, nodding silently, "That's… Is it doing well?"

"Yes," I said seriously, feeling guilty. I hated reminding him of Caelan's death, as it always caused an even darker mood than usual. Still, I couldn't help asking in a small voice, "Do you… hate me?"

He looked shocked, but didn't deny the charge as he looked torn. Finally he looked away, replying in a soft voice, "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't but-"

"No," I said, interrupting him with a bitter smile, "It's okay. I know."

_If I had been stronger. If I could have followed him. Thrown myself in front of the fire. Anything. In the end I could have prevented it. I played it over and over again in my head, and it haunted my dreams. All the things I _should_ have done, but didn't._

"I'm going out for a jog," I said quickly, walking past him while looking at the ground, "Good night."

He stood quietly, and I could see that even as I descended the staircase that he didn't move. I ignored everybody I passed, until I passed somebody familiar.

It was the hooded figure that had disrupted me earlier, her back facing me as she talked to the barmaid. Trying to ignore my guilt I listened in quietly from the staircase, trying to keep out of her line of sight.

"And then he started chasing _me_!" She exclaimed, sounding outraged. Meanwhile the barmaid looked fearful, patting the girls shoulder comfortingly.

"Oh you poor thing," She said in a pitying voice, "What rotten luck! I can't believe that monster has come all the way here to our peaceful town…"

"Why's he a monster?" The girl asked curiously, seeming confused.

"Oh you probably don't know… That's _the_ Judgment Knight," She said in a low voice, "He's the opposite of the Sun Knight! He goes around persecuting people for crimes. They say he tortures them for days, even after they repent!"

_Ouch,_ I still couldn't get accustomed to complete strangers insulting me like this.

"Who's the Sun Knight?" She asked, making me wonder if she truly was stupid. Even two year old children know the Sun Knight!

"He's the kind and benevolent leader of the Twelve Holy Knights!" The barmaid said in a bright, worshiping tone, "His hair is golden, his eyes are the brightest blue and his skin is milky white!"

"Are they chosen for their looks or something?" She muttered, sounding unconvinced, "And anyway don't you think this Judgment Knight person could actually be an ok guy? I mean, criminals deserve to be punished!"

I instantly started to like this girl a lot more.

"No, No!" The barmaid said seriously, "He's notorious for being a bad guy! Some even say _he_ was the one that caused the last Sun Knight's-in-trainings death!"

My eyes clenched in anger and pain, but I didn't refute it. After all it was my fault. I could have stopped him. I should have been stronger.

"Wendy!" The girl said, sounding shocked, "Isn't that a bit harsh?"

'Wendy' patted the girls arm sympathetically saying, "Trust me dear. The whole continent knows that the Judgment Knight is a heartless bastard."

"Mhm," The girl said, sounding unsure still, "I suppose you would know better than me."

"More importantly," Wendy said seriously, "Shouldn't you be heading home soon? Your brother is going to be worried."

"Brothers in the town over," She said, shaking her head, "His sword broke, so he has to get it fixed."

"Oh!" Wendy looked surprised and worried, "It can't be that you're staying by yourself?! Isn't there a Necromancer around these parts at the moment? What if you get attacked?!"

The girl laughed and turned to leave, waving goodbye, "I'll be fine! Nobody ever goes near out cottage!"

"But it's so far!" Wendy yelled after her in a worried tone, "At least have one of the boys escort you! There's even a blizzard coming!"

"I'll be right!" The girl shouted, disappearing into the whirling snow. I hesitated for a moment. It didn't fall under my jurisdiction, but I couldn't just let her walk out in these dangerous conditions. I followed quietly, trying to ignore Wendy's terrified stare as I exited into the snow.

_Cold!_

I ignored the feeling, trying to find her in the turmoil. I saw a soft light floating into the distance, and ran after it quickly.

_Damn she's quick!_

She seemed to be passing through the thick snow and gusts of wind without a problem, her light never once flickering as she did so. Meanwhile I was knee-high in snow and struggling to follow.

"Wait!" I called out to no avail, worried. If the necromancer really _was_ lurking around these parts she was obviously in danger, even holding a bright signal light in her hands, "Wait up!"

She obviously didn't hear, instead leaving the town boundaries and wishing I'd kept my Judgment clothes on. The snow had already seeped through these clothing and was making my legs feel distant and numb. I continued for awhile, trying to catch up until I suddenly fell, feeling confused.

_Oh. That's why. My legs have gone dead…_ I struggled to stand, beginning to panic when I realized that my whole body was steadily slowing down, shaking from the cold. _Damn. Damn. Damn._

_Can't I do anything right?!_

_Hey Caelan, _I thought, staring up at the sky and trying to keep my eyes open, _Is this punishment for letting you die?_

No reply came.


	14. Chapter 13

When I opened my eyes I was warm. _Was that all a dream?_

I turned over, rubbing my head as I did so. Then I froze, looking around in confusion.

_Not a dream then. But where…?_

I stood, surveying my surroundings.

The floors and walls were all made of wood. I had been lying on a rustic bed, and above it was a window through which all I could see was white. The room was small and bare of any other furniture than the bed, but on the wall adjacent to the window was a small, wooden door. I approached it, turning the knob and peeking through cautiously. It lead into a much bigger room, what appeared to be a joined kitchen and living room. In the living room area sat a table with two chairs, and beside them stood a small couch facing a fireplace that was steadily crackling away. On the other side of the room stood a fairly basic kitchen, but what surprised me was…

"You!" I said suddenly, recognizing the persons back. She immediately jumped and turned with a surprised expression. She was wearing a plain blue dress that fluttered around her knees. On top of it was a grey apron, which she promptly wiped her hands on when she spotted me.

"You're finally up!" She said happily, blinking her big blue eyes innocently, "You scared the hell out of me."

I froze. For such a pretty girl, she had such a foul mouth… And she was pretty, even I had to admit. Her long golden hair was plaited thickly down her back, brushing at her lower back when she turned her head. Her skin was pale (although that was common for people from the wintery north) but her cheeks were rosy. Hey eyes were a brilliant blue, framed perfectly by a set of dark, thick lashes. To top it all off was her pink lips, curved into a smile.

_If Storm saw you… he'd propose. Definitely._

"What am I doing here?" I asked harshly, my throat sore. She rolled her eyes and continued to bustle around, collecting bowls and cooking implements as she did so.

"Well," She started in a loud voice, "I don't know what happened to _you_, but when I left the inn I realized quite quickly I was being followed," She turned to give me a wry smile, "By somebody slow," _Did she just call me slow?_ "But I chose to ignore them. Until, that is, I realized that they were stupid enough to go out into a storm wearing summer clothing," She shook her head in disbelief, "So I decided to spare death from the pain of having to deal with the idiot, and I dragged him all the way back to my house."

"… Aren't you a bit too casual?" I asked slowly, staring at her in confusion.

"Well I don't know who you are _outside_ of this storm," She said, turning and throwing me a wooden bowl, "But _inside_ it, you're at my mercy," She grinned wickedly, "Which means you have to help me make dinner."

"What are you- Wait," I looked at her in horror, "_Dinner?!_ How long have I been here?!"

She looked up at the roof thoughtfully, "Since last night."

"What?!" I shouted, dropping the bowl as I did so, "That's-! I have to get back, thank you for your hospitality," I turned to the door leading outside and ripped it open. Well, I tried to. It wouldn't budge, "Unlock the door, quickly!"

"It's not locked," She said, laughing softly, "You're not from around here, are you? That's a blizzard out there. We've been snowed in."

"But I have to get back!" I said, frantic, "How can you be so calm?!"

"Well," She said slowly, walking forward to pick up the bowl I had dropped, "How about you try telling that storm you have to get back? That seems to work," She said wryly, passing me the bowl again, "And I'm calm because there isn't anything to be done about the _storm,_" She walked to the door beside the kitchen area, "But there is something to be done for dinner."

I felt like ripping out my hair. I'd been away for a _whole_ day. By this stage they were probably panicking.

_Or maybe not,_ the thought made my heart twist painfully.

"Are you coming or what?" She shouted from the next room. I hesitated, and then decided to follow her. After all, I didn't want to be _too_ rude. Adding 'freeloader' to the image of the Judgment Knight probably wasn't a good idea.

When I entered the room she had disappeared to I froze. She was looking at me smugly as I took in the scene.

All around me was… life. Flowers, plants and vines surrounded the room. The whole room was made of glass, showing the whirling storm of snow raging outside in the dwindling light of the evening.

"Well?" She said expectantly, leaning forward in anticipation with big eyes, "What do you think?"

"This is amazing," I said, unable to believe what I was seeing. I realized a second too late that I wasn't acting like the Judgment Knight, "Ah! I mean-" I was flustered, feeling like shrinking under her amused gaze, "That-I-I"

"I knew it!" She said with a laugh, "You're not so scary."

Now I _really_ feel like shrinking. I asked in a small voice, "Please don't tell anybody…"

Now it was her turn to be confused, "Why?"

"I'm the Judgment Knight," I said slowly, staring at her uncomprehendingly, "I'm not meant to be… Well I should be cold and heartless, so…"

She tilted her head, staring at me blankly before saying, "Why?"

"Just- Because," I said, not understanding her lack of, well… understanding.

"Weird guy," She muttered, turning and beginning to pluck fruits from the greenery carefully, "I'll keep your secret, so stop acting so stiff."

_Don't poke me where it hurts…_ I thought, but tried to oblige. After all, she hadn't run away screaming at the sight of me. Always a good sign.

I followed her cautiously, holding the bowl in front of me warily as she plopped the different fruits, vegetables and herbs in it. Slowly it began to fill higher and higher, making me curious.

"Are you expecting to eat all of these?"

She stopped, looking from the tomato in her hand with shock to the almost full bowl, "Ahh!" She exclaimed, looking flustered, "I took too many!"

… _You're absent-minded, huh?_

She stood for a moment, stuck in an internal debate before exclaiming loudly, "Ah whatever! I'll just freeze the leftovers."

She stormed out of the room angrily, tossing her hair behind her as I watched, bemused. I was following her out when I saw a small cluster of Sunflowers to the side. I put the bowl down and walked over to them, running my hands over the petals and feeling nostalgic.

"What?" I jumped and turned to see her peeking around the corner of the door with a cheeky expression, "So the cruel and cold-hearted Judgment Knight likes sunflowers?"

I flushed and she laughed, exiting the room properly. I followed, grabbing the bowl and trying to keep my calm. When I entered she was wielding a large knife and looking at me expectantly.

"Do you cook?" I shook my head and she sighed, nodding to herself before grabbing the bowl and setting it in front of herself, "Well today you'll learn something new then."

She passed me a knife and I moved to stand on the opposite side of the bench, trying to appear diligent. She grabbed a round tomato and put in on the bench, balancing the blade of her knife over it, "All you have to do is hold it like this then push," She said, forcing the knife down. It caught on the skin before finally giving way and sending the guts of the tomato oozing out. I frowned, looking at it closely.

"Are you sure?" I said slowly, looking at the mangled tomato, "Don't you think you should maybe," I copied her but drew the knife back and forth, cutting clean through the tomato, "Do it like this?"

She flushed slightly and shook her head, "No it's _definitely_ this way!"

"But it makes the tomato go all squishy…" I said, looking between our two tomato's in confusion. Mine had definitely held together more, "I'm pretty sure it's better to slice than crush…"

"Nuh-uh!" She said, crushing another tomato, "It's _definitely_ this way!"

I looked at her, realization dawning on me, "You don't cook either, do you?"

She looked embarrassed, "Brother usually does it… But I always watch! I'm sure it goes like this!"

"You're too stubborn," I argued, "Isn't this way better?"

"You see! I'll definitely beat you! I don't care if you're the Judgment Knight or whatever!" She said fiercely, beginning to crush them in earnest.

I smiled to myself as I continued, slicing them cleanly and pushing them to the side quickly. We continued in silence for some time before I started to laugh to myself, unable to control it any longer.

"What are you laughing at?" She said in an outraged voice, face red.

"I'm having a tomato race," I managed, shaking my head, "I'm arguing with a strange girl and cutting tomato's," I sighed, still smiling as I said, "If the others saw me they might faint in surprise."

"Oh? Afraid of hurting your big, bad reputation?" She said cheekily, a grin tugging on her face as well, "Just wait until you tell your friends you got beat by a 'strange' girl!"

The smile faded slightly and I shook my head, "I don't have friends to tell, I'm afraid."

She looked shocked before turning uncomfortable, "Oh. I'm… sorry."

"Don't be," I shook my head, "I may not have friends but I have lots of comrades."

She looked confused, "The difference?"

"Well," I started, unsure, "Comrades are people you fight together with. Friends are… people you talk to for enjoyment?"

"Oh," She said suddenly before becoming excited, "We're talking for enjoyment, aren't we?"

I laughed, "I suppose. I'm not sure it's the same thing."

"Oh," She looked down sadly, eyebrows knotted in worry, "We're not friends?"

I immediately felt guilty, "We can be friends, if you want," I said quickly.

"You're really…" She looked away and I stilled, afraid she would begin to cry. Instead she began to laugh loudly, "You're such a softy! Don't look so worried, jeez!"

"You tricked me," I said indignantly.

"Yep," She said happily, grinning widely and revealing a set of perfectly white teeth, "But that's okay, cause we're friends now."

"Oh?" I said, arching an eyebrow, "Then you won't be too disappointed that your friend beat you at tomato racing.

She looked down at our tomato piles in shock before exclaiming, "No fair! You must have cheated!"

"More importantly," I said slowly, looking at the two mountains of tomato's in front of me, "What are we cooking?"

She looked at me blankly, "Tomato's?"

"Just tomatos?" I said incredulously.

She shook her head, "No! Do you think I'm an idiot?!"

_Oh thank the God of Light that I won't have to survive off of only tomato's…_

"There's potato and spring onion too!"

… _You're cruel, God of Light._


	15. Chapter 14

After sitting down with a plate of tomato's (I refused to call it dinner) I asked in an exasperated voice, "How can your brother trust you to be here alone? Doesn't he know about the necromancer?"

She shook her head, "He knows."

"Then why?" I asked loudly before muttering, "You can barely feed yourself…"

"There's no way I can be done in by one lone necromancer," She scoffed, looking very un-ladylike.

"Well aren't you confident," I mused, staring at the thin slip of a girl with a raised eyebrow, "You do know what a necromancer is, don't you?"

"Hey!" She cried indignantly, "I'm actually really strong!"

"A-huh" I said in an unconvinced voice, "I'm sure you are. Those tomatos were quaking in fear."

"Watch this!" She said boisterously, raising her hand in front of herself. In the middle of her palm a rose began to grow, made completely of ice.

"You're a mage?" I asked in genuine surprise.

She rolled her eyes, "No," Then she stopped, thoughtful, "Actually, I might be."

"And you called me a weirdo," I said under my breath before adding, "If you know magic you're a mage, right?"

She nodded reluctantly before adding, "I still don't think I'm a mage though."

"Suit yourself," I said, setting the tomato-speckled plate down, "What are you two doing living all the way out here anyway?"

"Living," She replied sarcastically, "What do you think?"

"You're the first person in a long time that's been so sarcastic with me," I commented, smiling slightly, "It's nice."

"Are you…" She looked at me with serious worry, "A masochist?"

I just about fell off my chair before I recovered enough to complain loudly, "A girl shouldn't be talking like that!"

"Oh?" She said with a laugh, "Isn't it you who shouldn't be sounding so casual? What about your big, bad image?"

"You're obviously unfazed by it," I said simply, before frowning in curiosity, "Why is that?"

"Well," She said slowly, "At first I thought you seemed kind of scary. Then a friend of mine told me about you," She looked embarrassed now, "It's part of the reason I didn't stop to help you in the snow sooner, actually."

"What changed?" I said, wondering if I could do the same with the other knights.

"Apart from seeing you dripping wet and bluer than a summer sky?" She laughed, "Well that would be probably be…" She looked embarrassed again, "Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"No I don't," I said immediately with wide eyes. I'd never talked in my sleep. Had I? I suddenly felt extremely embarrassed, "That's… What did I say?" I asked, closing my eyes and rubbing them in a tired manner.

"Most of it was just mumbling," She said with a laugh, "But you also said 'Sorry Caelan'," She laughed more, "Who's Caelan? Your teacher?"

I froze, eyes wide but not lifting my head. My hands shook slightly and I clenched my teeth tight against the wave of emotion that rolled over me, threatening to break me. I had never expected anybody to hear my inner turmoil, let alone this stranger.

She seemed to sense something was wrong, and I felt her lean in closer and place a hand on my shoulder before saying, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said stiffly, "Where's your bathroom?"

"Middle door," She said in an unsure manner. I left before she could ask anymore, keeping my eyes on the floor and my face hidden by a curtain of my hair.

Closing the door firmly I slid onto the floor, trying my best to remain calm. My chest hurt.

Somebody knocked on the door softly, "Hey, are you okay in there?"

I didn't answer. Couldn't. The door opened slightly and she came in with a startled 'Oh'.

I didn't look up, but she approached slowly and bent down in front of me.

"There there," She said, awkwardly patting my back.

"Caelan wasn't a she," I said quietly, surprising her. I continued in an even quieter voice, "He was the Sun Knight."

She was silent for a moment before asking in a kind voice, "What was he like?"

"Stubborn," I said quietly, a pained smile tugging on my face, "But kind. He really was like a Sun. He brought everybody to gravitate around him. Even me. But I only ever watched from afar," I began to shake heavily, tears streaming down my face pathetically, "He was such a good person, and I'm the reason he's dead," I raised my hands to my eyes, rubbing them sadly, "He must hate me now. My most important mission," I murmured, "I couldn't even protect him."

_I had realized how much it had weighed on me until then. Years of being quiet, of not talking about what happened. In the end I never once opened up to anybody, never once told anybody what it had felt like. Yet now it seemed like I couldn't keep it back, even if I tried._

"He wouldn't hate you!" She said fiercely, lifting my head up to look her in the eye, "I'm sure he wouldn't! You're a good person!"

"No I'm not," I said in a pained voice, "You don't know me."

"I'm sure of it!" She said stubbornly, not backing down.

"Well you're wrong!" I cried out, shaking my head fiercely, "I've tortured people, you know?!"

"That doesn't matter! They were criminals, you were just doing what you thought was right!"

"Killed even!" I was shouting now.

"I refuse to believe you're not a good person!" She shouted back, face determined.

"Why?" I yelled, unable to believe her words, "You've heard what they say about me! I'm a murderer, I've tortured people, I'm even responsible for the death of the Sun Knight! Even my own comrades hate me!"

"It doesn't matter what other people say!" She insisted, "You're definitely a good person! If anybody says otherwise, even your comrades, I'll just have to… to-TO PUNCH THEM ALL OUT UNTIL THEY LISTEN!"

"You're crazy," I muttered, "Why does everybody I meet seem so crazy?! It's like you don't even know I'm the Judgment Knight."

"Maybe you're the crazy one!" She said, eyes kind, "Jeez. Since when did your job define who you are? When the storm dies down I'm going back with you to knock some sense into your annoying 'comrades'!"

"You're joking, right?" I asked, deadpan. She shook her head happily, "There is no way that is happening."

She shrugged, "Try and stop me if you dare," She turned and left, returning a moment later with some clothing, "Wear these. They're my brothers. He shouldn't mind," She paused, looking shocked, "I just realized something," She walked forward and thrust out her hand, grinning as she did so, "I'm Kadence. Nice to meet you."

He grabbed it, replying in an exasperated voice, "Seriph. Nice to meet you too."

Kadence was weird.

_She would probably kill me if she knew I thought that…_

For starters; her horrible cooking, If it could be called that. When I came out of the shower she approached me, two bowls in hand. When she had handed them to me she said happily, "Desert."

I looked down at the bowl cautiously. It appeared to be shaved ice, with a red tinge to it. I took a cautious bite, praying it wasn't some kind of tomato shaved ice.

_Actually, tomato shaved ice would have been better._

I spat it into the sink, staring at her in horror while she watched me with an innocently confused face, "This is alcoholic," I explained slowly, wondering how she messed up bad enough not to notice it. Instead of looking shocked she nodded, "Are you possibly… trying to get me drunk?" I asked incredulously.

She snorted, "You won't get drunk just from that. We didn't have any flavorings, so I improvised. Weirdo."

"Aren't you the weirdo?" I demanded, placing the bowl away from myself and shaking my head, "Don't just invite random strangers in and give them alcohol! You're too defenseless!"

"Boo you," She muttered, shoving a large spoonful into her mouth.

"Hey!" I snapped, trying to take it off of her and failing, "If you get drunk I'm not helping you!"

"Ha?! Who's getting drunk!" She stared at me defiantly before lifting the bowl to her mouth and swallowing the contents whole and turning to look at me triumphantly. Her triumphant look slowly faded and she fell to the floor, clutching her head tightly.

I ran over and helped her up, yelling, "I told you not to drink it, idiot! Ah what am I meant to do now?!"

_I have no experience with drunk people!_

"Brain freeze!" She complained loudly, rubbing her forehead with her hands sorely.

I froze.

"Excuse me?"

"I have a brain freeze! Ah it hurts, it hurts!"

"…" I paused before laughing loudly, "You're such an idiot!"

"Hey!" she whined, looking at me sourly.

"Here," I said, sitting her down on one of the seats, "I'll go get you something warm to drink, so just stay there."

"No need," She said in a clenched voice, stopping me.

"Why not?"

She didn't reply, instead lifting her hands to her head and breathing deeply. Between her hands Holy Light began to shine, dying the room gold. She stopped, lowering her hands and grinning at me widely.

"That-" I stopped, staring at her in shock, "You're a cleric?"

"Probably not!" She said, laughing and standing, "Your face is priceless," She yawned loudly, scrunching her nose up and rubbing her eyes before saying, "I'm going to bed. You're going to be staying in my brothers' room again; it's the one you were in earlier."

With that she turned to leave before I could answer, closing her door behind her. I hesitated, unsure. It seemed rude to stay in his room when he wasn't even there…

Instead I walked over to the light, using the switch to turn it off and realizing it was a Holy lamp with a jolt of surprise. I shrugged it off and moved to the window, looking out curiously. The storm outside had all but died out, leaving the world coated in white.

I sighed, despite the good news. It meant that I could leave as soon as possible, and in all seriousness, I had to. I'd been gone for a whole day, without leaving any words to anybody about my whereabouts. Furthermore Kadence was growing overly friendly. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the friendship, but I knew better than to expect it to stay. The other villagers would probably scorn her for it, claiming me to be a monster. Or worse, she would realize that I _was_ a monster.

With that thought I waited awhile, hoping she was a heavy sleeper, before changing back into my own clothes and folding her brothers onto his bed neatly, before hesitating. If I went out in only these clothing I would most likely meet death early. With another sigh I ventured into his closet, pulling out a thick black coat and resolving to leave it at the Inn to be returned. Next I opened the window above his bed and snuck out quietly, shutting it behind me.

Outside the storm may have stilled, but the air still brought a harsh chill. I pulled the jacket closer, trying to remember which direction I had come from. In a resolved manner I decided to head in the direction of the white clearing, certain that I hadn't passed through any forests when I was conscious.

I trudged through slowly, wishing I too could yield magic and ease my journey. Unfortunately, I wasn't. And so I took the path of a knight and trudged through relentlessly, hoping that I would reach the town soon. As luck had it, I didn't need to.

"You there!" Shouts began to call around me, and I noticed several black figures approaching from different angles, "Halt!"

I held my hand in front of myself, arching an eyebrow as my own knights approached me with their weapons drawn. When they came close enough to see my face they all looked shocked, promptly sheathing their swords and standing at attention with formal salutes.

"Captain!" My vice-captain approached, bowing slightly, "We apologize for raising our weapons against you!"

"No matter," I said simply, sweeping them over with my eyes curiously, "How did you know I was here?"

He looked confused, "We didn't, sir. We've been following the direction of the necromancer. He should have come straight through here… Could you have seen him?"

I shook my head before fully processing his words. In a slow, dreadful voice I asked, "Did you say he came in this direction?"

"Yes Sir," He nodded, looking unsure as to why I had to verify.

"Give me your sword!" I yelled, and he obeyed quickly looking terrified. I paid no mind to the fact I had most likely just isolated my vice-captain from ever talking to me again, instead turning and running back in the direction of Kadence's house.

The wind bit at my flesh sharply, sending shockwaves through my legs and snow trying to stop my course. I ignored them all, pushing on despite the protests of my legs.

"Hey! Let go of me!" I could hear Kadence yell. I ran faster, stumbling in the snow wildly until I reached them. Kadence had a knife on her throat, held by a man dressed in all-white. He even had a mask pulled firmly over his face, only his eyes and mouth revealed. Meanwhile Kadence must have been freezing, still only wearing the knee-length blue dress.

I felt a sense of dread when I realized he must have walked straight passed me.

_No. It's happening again. I could have stopped it._

I shook my head, staring him down with my best 'Judgment Knight' glare before growling, "Let her go."

"Seriph?" Kadence asked, looking scared, "You weren't there so I-"

"Shut up," The necromancer growled, pressing the knife closer to her throat and making her cringe. Meanwhile my knights had finally caught up to me, flanking either side of me with weapons raised. The necromancer continued in a harsh voice, "Put your weapons down or I kill the girl."

"Captain," My vice-captain said in a low voice beside me, "If we act now there's a seventy percent chance of saving the girl."

"No," I replied loudly, throwing my weapon away and holding my hands up passively, "All of you drop your weapons," They hesitated and I barked loudly, "NOW!" They obeyed, looking confused at my sudden outburst. I looked to the necromancer calmly, "Now let her go."

He laughed loudly, "I never said I'd let her go," My face twisted into a snarl and he laughed even louder, "Will you look at that! The great," He said tauntingly while he took a step forward, dragging Kadence with him, "And powerful Judgment Knight," He held the knife close enough to draw blood and my hand twitched, face filled with worry, "Have your vice-captain stab you in the leg," He said menacingly.

"Do it," I said in a deep voice, eyes darting to my vice-captain quickly. He looked reluctant, so I said in a hurried tone, "Now. That's an order."

He nodded, picking up a sword and stepping toward me warily, still looking unsure. I prayed that he would get over it quickly and do what the necromancer wanted, fearful for Kadence.

"Hey," Kadence's soft voice rang out like ice with her eyes closed, "Let them go now."

The necromancer looked to her in surprise before laughing and brandishing the knife, "Don't try to be a hero, girly."

"I'm no hero," She said with a sweet smile as she turned to look at him with hard eyes, "I'm a villain. So let them go, _now_."

"If you don't want to die shut up," He growled, grabbing her hair and yanking it hard.

"Stop!" I yelled out, gesturing for my vice-captain to stab me, "We're doing what you want, so don't hurt her."

"Mr. Vice-Captain," Kadence said with a chilly voice, staring straight at him, "You're going to put your sword down, or I'll kill you myself."

Everybody looked surprised, save me. In truth all I wanted to do was find a wall and hit my head against it.

"I. Told. You," The necromancer snarled, "Shut. Up."

She reached up and grabbed the arm holding the knife, eyes fierce as she whispered, "Let them go. This is your last chance."

"I said, SHUT UP!" He bellowed, moving to cut her with the knife.

Of course that's a hard feat to accomplish when somebody freezes your arm.

It all happened before I could process what was happening. One moment he was ready to strike, the next he was grabbing an arm and screaming out. Said arm was covered with countless bloody ice-flowers, all formed delicately on his arm to puncture it.

She stepped away delicately and turned to him, looking like cold fury as she hissed, "I told you it was your last chance."

He held his arm in front of himself, looking terrified as he quickly began to recite necromancy spells. She was quicker, raising her hands either side of herself. The snow around them began to move quickly, snaking up his arms and freezing his whole body into the ice.

She began to fall and I leapt forward, grabbing her securely. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized she was still awake, staring at me in confusion before saying in a curious voice, "I have no idea why I just fell."

I raised an eyebrow while I helped her stand up and removing my coat (well, her brothers coat) before draping it over her, "Because," I said, copying her earlier comment, "You were stupid enough to go out into the cold wearing summer clothes."

She pouted unhappily, crossing her arms, "It's your fault. Stupid."

"Ha?!" I exclaimed, staring at her in disbelief, "You almost get yourself _killed_ and it's _my_ fault?!"

"You just disappeared without a trace!" She yelled back, face full of fury, "Of course I went out to look for you, dummy!"

"And you got yourself caught by a necromancer!" I shouted back, equally angry.

"And you almost got your leg cut off because you didn't notice the necromancer!" She yelled at me, fists beating my chest while she chanted, "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!"

"Ow!" I exclaimed, grabbing her hands, "That hurts, damn it!"

Somebody cleared their throat nearby and I turned, surprised to see my Vice-captain standing by looking awkward. Behind him my whole platoon was gawking, eyes the size of saucers.

_Oh no._


	16. Chapter 15

"Can't you use fire magic to warm yourself up a bit more?" I complained in a quiet voice to Kadence, worried that she would develop frostbite. After all, she was trudging through the knee-deep snow in nothing but a summer dress and coat.

She shook her voice, replying in a normal voice, "I can't control fire magic."

Behind me my knights trailed, still silent from their earlier shock. I tried to ignore their befuddled and disbelieving stares, wishing they hadn't seen me out of character. In the end I had just tried my best to salvage my reputation, calmly throwing around orders in a deep voice. Kadence didn't seem to think it was a good idea. Instead she still conversed in friendly tones, growing more and more amused at the stupefied expressions of my knights and my own pained expression.

I sighed in relief when I finally crossed the border of the town, turning to Kadence and saying in a quiet voice, "You can go to your friends now."

"Nope," She said happily, still walking alongside me and waving to the citizens who poked their heads of their houses, "To hell with your stupid image."

_Nobody has ever made me want to strangle them this badly._

I turned to my vice captain, "We're going to go ahead. Prepare the horses and tie the prisoner to one of them. I need to have a word with Knight-Captain Metal."

He saluted, turning and relaying my orders to the still-stupefied knights. I left, not bothering to wait up for Kadence as I strode in the direction of the inn.

"Hey!" She complained from behind me, jogging to keep up, "Slow down a little! My legs aren't as long as yours."

"Do you have any idea what kind of a mess you're making for me?" I snapped, wishing I could rub my eyes.

"Hey, maybe they'll act a bit nicer to you now!" She retorted, "And I seem to remember saving you from getting your leg cut off a moment ago. A little appreciation would be nice."

"I almost got my leg cut off because you were too hasty and stubborn!" I snapped as I crossed the threshold of the inn.

"Kadence?" Wendy cried, looking between us with a horrified expression before ushering Kadence to her side, "What happened?!"

"I'm fine," She murmured in a kind voice, smiling brilliantly.

"But why are you," Wendy lowered her voice in an obvious attempt not to let me hear, "With _him_?"

"Because he's my friend," She said firmly, staring at Wendy with a stern gaze. She turned and tugged on my arm, ignoring the statue of Wendy as she said, "Let's go."

I nodded silently and lead her up the stairs, knowing nothing I would say would make her stop acting outrageous. Still, I tried by saying in a soft voice, "You should try acting a bit more appropriately. If you're not careful you'll get alienated."

"Urgh," She complained, hitting my arm as we climbed the stairs, "You're too stiff. Try living a little. Tell me it wasn't just a _little_ funny seeing all of your subordinates turn to statues?"

"I have an image to uphold," I said seriously.

She rolled her eyes and nodded, saying condescendingly, "Of _course_ you do."

I sighed, walking to Metal's door and knocking loudly.

"So who are we going to meet next?" She asked in a chipper voice, standing on her tip-toes to peak over my shoulder.

"The Metal Knight," I said simply.

She looked confused, "And that is…?"

"You don't know?" I said, looking at her in shock, "He-"

The door opened, interrupting me. Infront of it stood Metal, clothes and hair in disarray. He looked surprisingly worried until he saw me and let out an explosive sigh, "You're back."

I felt a tinge of pain. I knew I was a bother, but that was a bit much.

"Hey!" Kadence complained from behind me, tugging on my arm in a fussy manner, "I can't see anything! You're too damn big!"

I rolled my eyes and Metal gestured us in, looking confused. His room was a mirror of my own, and I immediately went to sit on one of the couches, rubbing my face in a tired manner. Kadence plopped down next to me, swinging her legs and looking around in a carefree manner.

"This is Kadence," I introduced, not looking up, "Kadence this is the Metal Knight."

"Nice to meet you," She said happily.

"Your clothes are horrid," He muttered absent-mindedly, plopping on the couch opposite us.

"… Excuse me?" Kadence's cold voice rung out, chilling me to the bone.

"What?" Metal asked, looking confused.

She stood, fists clenched, "Wanna say that again, pretty boy?!"

"Kadence," I said hastily, looking at her in surprise, "Calm down. What's gotten into you?"

"Are you both going to pretend he didn't just blatantly insult me?!" She said in an outraged voice.

"He's the _Metal_ Knight," I said slowly, looking at her in confusion, "Of course he did."

"Oh," She said happily, nodding, "Well I suppose that's okay then… DID YOU THINK THAT'S WHAT I'D SAY, DUMMY?" She turned to point at Metal angrily, "APOLOGIZE OR I'LL KNOCK YOUR FACE RIGHT OFF YOUR HEAD, STUPID!"

I expected Metal to get angry, but instead he began to laugh softly, "Alright, Alright. I'm sorry. Geez."

She plopped back onto the couch, arms crossed and sulking, "Meany."

"Kadence," I said in an exasperated voice, "You can't keep threatening to hit people."

"I'll hit you in a moment," She muttered, enticing further laughter from Metal.

"Who exactly are you?" Metal asked, staring at her in wonder, "If my platoon had half your fire…"

"I'm Kadence," She said, grinning, "I live around these parts and _incidentally_," She threw me a dirty look before continuing smugly, "I just saved your stupid friend from getting his leg cut off and captured the necromancer in the process."

We both looked uncomfortable, prompting her to tilt her side and ask in a childish voice, "What?"

"Nothing," I said quickly motioning for her to shut up. Then I turned to Metal and said in a loud voice, "As you can see the Necromancer has been captured, so we can return to the Church in the morning."

"What?!" Kadence exclaimed, looking at me in dread, "Do you _have_ to go back right away?! I thought you'd stay for awhile, at least!"

"No," I said firmly, "We need to get the criminal back for his trial as soon as possible."

"Then," She looked torn before standing and saying in an excited voice, "I'll come with! I've been wanting to visit the South anyway!"

"Definitely not!" I shot down her idea, "You have your brother to wait for here."

"Brother would definitely understand!" She said loudly, glaring at me, "Don't think you can stop me!"

"Why are you stubborn?!" I demanded, standing as well, "You can't just go running off with strangers whenever you feel like it!"

"You're not a stranger, Stupid!" She yelled, glaring at me fiercely, "You're my friend! And I promised I'd come back with you to beat some sense into those other idiots!"

I looked at her incredulously, "You have to be kidding! You have _friends_ and _family_ here. You can't just leave them!"

"I'll do whatever I damn well please!" She shouted, turning and storming out.

"I like her," Metal commented, staring at the swinging door with awe.

"Don't you start!" I snapped before realizing I had just talked back to him. He stared at me in shock as I promptly left, resisting the urge to bang my head on the door as I did so. When I reached the hallway I called out, "Kadence!"

"Yeah?" She replied, leaning to the side of the door and looking at me curiously.

I sighed sharply, turning to her and saying, "You can't come tomorrow. I'm sorry, but you need to understand that."

She rolled her eyes, ignoring my comment, "I'll have to bunk with you tonight. I can't head back to mine at this hour, and all the other rooms are occupied."

I rubbed my eyes, "Of course you do. Fine, I've got things to do tonight anyway."

I lead her to the room, watching as she threw herself onto one of the couches with a tired sigh, "For such a nice Inn, it's so cold in here."

I stared at her in confusion, "What are you talking about? It's perfectly warm…" My eyes widened in realization and I hurried over to where she sat, grabbing her hands and cursing under my breath.

"Hey!" She exclaimed in a surprised manner, "What are you d-"

"You're freezing!" I interrupted angrily, crossing the room and entering the bedroom. I ripped the blankets off the bed and returned, wrapping them around her quickly, "I'll start a fire and go get a bath, so jus-"

"No," She said hurriedly, "Just go get the bath, please."

I obeyed reluctantly, feet padding on the staircase silently as I descended in a hurried manner. When I reached the bottom I walked to the bar, recognizing a familiar figure. I called out, "Wendy? Would you mind sending a hot bath to my quarters as quickly as possible?"

She looked terrified when I addressed her by her name, and she nodded quickly and left to do so. I nodded to myself and ascended the staircase again, bumping into two of my surprised knights. I paid them no heed as I continued to my rooms. When I finally pushed open the door Kadence's was sleeping quietly, rugged up in the blankets.

I shook her awake softly, saying, "You shouldn't fall asleep. I don't know how bad the frost was."

She nodded, half-lidded and yawning, "Hey," She said from around the yawn, "Why was that fellow earlier so rude? Are my clothes really that bad?"

I shook my head, amused as I replied, "He just plays the part of the Metal Knight well."

"And what's the role of the Metal Knight?" She asked quietly, snuggling into the blankets with a look of bliss.

"Well, he's supposed to be… insulting, I suppose," I said slowly, staring at her in confusion, "You act like you've never heard of the Twelve Holy Knights."

She snorted indelicately, "The what? Sounds like a bad band."

"You," I said, eyes wide, "You actually don't know. That makes _so_ much sense!" I said, slapping myself in the face, "That's why you weren't terrified of me. But how-"

I was interrupted by a startled noise by the door. In the doorway stood Wendy, carrying a steaming bucket of water and looking between us in horror and bewilderment. I stood and walked over, trying not to feel burnt when she recoiled. I took the bucket of water with a quick word of thanks and moved to the bathroom, dumping in its' contents. It filled the bathtub half-way, which I decided was sufficient.

When I returned to the main room Wendy was close to Kadence, speaking in hushed tones. When she saw me she froze, all but running out of the room.

"Well," I said slowly, staring at her departing form, "The bath is ready. I'll leave so you can-"

"No," She said quickly, standing and walking to the bathroom, "Stay. Talk to me awhile."

"Are you sure?" I asked, bewildered. _Wouldn't most people want completely privacy?_

She nodded quietly, closing the bathroom door behind herself as she called out, "You better not leave, or I'll kick your butt!"

I sighed and obliged, sitting to lean against the door, asking, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Who were those Twelve thingy-ma-bobs you were talking about earlier?" She called out, followed by a splash.

"Twelve Holy Knights," I said patiently, not bothering to question her lack of knowledge, "They're my comrades."

"Who are they? What are they like?" She asked curiously.

"Well. There's me, the Judgment Knight. Every Judgment Knight is supposed to pass judgment. Which means sentencing, punishment and persecution," I started, interrupted by her laugh. I continued, ignoring her, "The Judgment Knight should have black hair, dark eyes and a constant frown. The Twelve Holy Knights is divided into two sections, 'Good and Warm-Hearted' and the 'Cruel and Cold-Hearted'. I'm the head of the Cruel and Cold-Hearted section."

"Hey!" She exclaimed, sounding outraged, "Isn't that a bit mean?!"

"It's the way it's always been," I said tolerantly, continuing, "The Knights in my faction are the Metal Knight, Ice Knight, Moon Knight, Hell Knight and Stone Knight. The Metal Knight is supposed to insult and be rude. The whole continent knows that the Metal Knight can talk to you for three minutes, causing you to lose three years of life," She snorted at this, "The Ice Knight is cold, in all aspects. He has blue-white hair, pale skin and no facial expression. The Moon Knight is conceited, so he's always looking down on people. He also has purple hair. The Hell Knight is," I paused, not quite sure, "He's a spy, I suppose. I don't know too much about him, to be honest," I said sheepishly, "And the Stone Knight is stubborn."

"Would I make a good Stone Knight?" She mused, no doubt grinning cheekily.

"Maybe. But none of the Knights are female."

"Isn't that a bit sexist?" She grumbled, "Fine then! What about the other faction?"

"The other faction has Leaf Knight, who's notorious for being kind and nature-loving. Then there's Cloud, who's renowned for being a drifter. It's quite frightening actually; occasionally he disappears into thin air. Then there's Earth Knight, who's known for being horrible with women but very kind and loyal," She laughed, "Then there's Blaze Knight, who's notorious for being loud and brazen. You'd actually make a good Blaze Knight too, except the Blaze Knights' hair is red," I added wryly, not getting a reply before I continued, "And Storm, who's a carefree womanizer. He has blue hair and a quick smile."

"They all sound a little far-fetched," She admitted, splashing, "But that's only eleven. Who's the other?"

I paused, torn before continuing, "The Sun Knight. He's the epitome of perfection. He's kind and benevolent. He never indulges himself, and he practically lives for the Twelve Holy Knights."

"Caelan?" She asked, startling me, "Hm. His name doesn't fit his title," She mused, and I heard the sound of her exiting the bath.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Caelan means Ice-Flower. It clashes with the whole image of 'Sun'," She continued, cracking open the door and stepping out. She was wearing the dress again which was (thankfully) dry.

"I didn't know that," I admitted.

"I still like you the best though," She grinned wickedly, "O' Cruel and Cold-Hearted Judgment Knight. I'm curious though, why would you choose to become somebody who is hated?"

"For the people," I explained simply, "They look up to the Twelve Holy Knights. We're their pillars. It might be hard, but it's my duty."

"I don't like that," She said, frowning, "What about you? What about your feelings?"

I shrugged helplessly, not meeting her eye, "I have nothing else to live for. The Church is my life."


	17. Chapter 16

"No," Kadence insisted stubbornly, "They're your rooms. Ill sleep on the couch!"

We had been arguing like this for some time, each of us insisting to sleep on the couch while the other took the bed. I wanted her to use the bed, explaining that she was still recovering and that I was accustomed to sleeping in much less comfortable conditions. I didn't bother arguing that she was female, and thus I should be the one to accommodate her needs. It often appeared that she didn't even realise her gender as she talked brazenly, acted indecently and was constantly threatening to hit one person or another. But she had insisted that she was the one who should sleep on the couch because they were my rooms. In the end I had many more reasons, but there was no point in arguing with a brick wall.

I threw my hands up in frustration, "Fine! Do whatever you want! I'm going to go check on my knights, so don't wander off."

She nodded triumphantly, curling up into a mass of blankets on the couch. I rolled my eyes at her and left, adopting a stern face. I padded down the wooden staircase slowly, revelling in the knowledge that I could finally sleep in peace tonight. When I finally reached the bottom of the stairs all of my knights were gathered around a table in the corner, speaking in hushed tones.

"Are you sure it's really captain?" One hissed, looking suspicious.

"Or maybe that girl is actually a Necromancer that's somehow controlling him?!" Another piped in.

"It couldn't be..." One started slowly, looking horrified, "That Captain is sick?!"

I pretended to ignore their comments, instead clearing my throat loudly. They jumped and looked to me guiltily, some even knocking down their drinks. I tried to hide my disapproval of drinking while working. After all, they had worked hard and deserved the rest.

"Ignal," I said loudly, addressing my Vice Captain by his name, "Might I have a word?"

He nodded quickly, standing and walking with me to a quieter corner before asking, "How can I help you, Captain?"

"Is everything ready to depart at first light?" I asked seriously.

"Yes Sir!" He said formally, and I nodded. As I left he stopped with with a quiet, uncomfortable voice, "Ah, Sir... About what the others were saying-" I braced myself against his question, "Please don't worry, Captain! No matter what, we'll follow you!"

He turned and left quickly, face seeming slightly flushed.

I turned and ascended to my rooms, not thinking properly. _Was that him telling me that even if I'm weird, they'll follow me or no matter what kind of Necromancer propelled me, they'd follow me?_

I shook my head, opening my door and looking at Kadence in amusement. She was lying half on the couch, blankets tumbling off her clumsily. I gathered her in my arms, taking care not to jostle her, and moved her onto the bed. Then I turned and threw myself onto the couch, pulling my cloak around me like a blanket. For somebody who'd been running around taking care of Kadence for a whole day, it was the most luxurious bed in the world.

I fell into a deep, tired sleep.

"Hey Seriph!" Kadence's voice awoke me. She stood looking down at me, grinning in her usual manner with her bright golden hair sparkling, "Wake up! Somebody says they're here to see you!"

"Who?" I mumbled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes in a tired manner.

"It's Big Brother!" She said happily, walking across the room and opening the door to let somebody in. A tall, blonde boy walked in, his blue eyes focused on me. He was beautiful and elegant, but his skin was off-hue and entirely too white . Kadence linked arms with him, pulling him in closer to me and laughing merrily, "You know Big Brother, don't you?"

"Caelan...?" I whispered, unable to believe who was standing infront of me. He was entirely himself, from head to toe. The only thing that was missing was his bright, carefree smile. Instead he was looking at me sadly, completely silent.

"That's right!" Kadence laughed, "It's Big Brother Sun!"

"How can that... How are you alive?!" I stood, reaching forward, "Caelan!"

"Silly Seriph," Kadence said in a quiet voice, eyes distant, "Big Brother can't answer you."

"Why not?!" I demanded, looking between the two of them in disbelief. _How do these two know each other?!_

"Because, Seriph," Her face looked even sadder and tears of red began to flow down her face, "You didn't save him. He can't talk because he has nothing left to talk with."

Everything around me darkened and they looked at me with sad, accusing eyes as Kadence continued, "Why didn't you save us, Seriph?"

Their bodies disintergrated, turning into ash and leaving me alone in the darkness.

"No!" I shouted, sitting up and promptly hitting my head on something. Or rather, someone, "Kadence?!" I exclaimed, staring at her in confusion, "What-What was that?!"

"Owww!" She complained, rubbing her head, "This is what I get for being nice! Your vice captain told me it was first light, so I tried to wake you up!"

"Oh," I said softly, realising it must have been a dream, then realising it was already first light, "Shi-" I jumped up, running around and pulling my uniform on quickly, hopping on one foot as I pulled on my boots and said hurriedly, "I should have already been ready by now!"

"It's not the end of the world," Kadence muttered, following me out. I almost jumped down the stairs, my black robes billowing out behind me until I reached the bottom and tried to regain my air of dignity. I walked out, head held high and face stern. Behind me trailed Kadence, looking bright as ever.

"Youre still not coming with us," I said sternly.

"You still can't stop me," She said happily, practically skipping as we made our way our of the inn. Infront of it stood both platoons, all mounted and ready to go. I quickly made my way to the head of the procession and mounted my horse swiftly. I grabbed the reigns loosely, sitting upright with the posture of a knight. Below me the black horse gave a little huff and shifted its hooves expectantly.

"Hey help me up, would you?" Kadence complained, looking up at me. She only came to about the height of my knee on the horse, and she had to shield her eyes as she looked up at me and grumbled, "Stop making me feel short, damn it..."

I arched an eyebrow, feeling slightly triumphant as I said in a smug voice, "Still not coming with us."

She flushed brilliantly, clenching her fists tightly and glaring at me, "Fine! I'll just ask one of your knights!"

"None of them would disobey an order," I said calmly, bending to tighten the straps on my saddle and checking the status of my knights. A few hung-over stragglers hurried to the horses, practically throwing themselves on in their haste. For once I didn't lament in their lateness, glad that I wasn't the only one holding the procession up.

"I'll follow you on foot then! If I die its on your head!" She glowered at me, looking like an angry fairy as the rising sun began to catch on her hair. All around us the snow had begun to glitter; sparkling from trees, the streets and even some of the knights. It clung to everything like white dust, soft and bright. I still disliked the North, but I could see the beauty in it at times like these. Still, I was glad to be heading back to the South where the world is painted in bright colours and the air doesn't threaten to freeze you if you walk outside in light clothing. Even now the cold air bit at my exposed skin, making me feel uncomfortable chilled.

I shrugged carelessly, "Do what you want."

She looked flustered, shouting, "I wasn't serious! Theres no way I'm walking all the way to Leaf Bud City! Dont be so heartless!"

"I'm the Judgment Knight," I said simply, "It's my job to be heartless."

We glared at each other, stuck in stalemate. Well, she glared. I just sort of looked on sternly, trying my best to salvage my 'Judgment Knight' reputation with my men.

"Well," Metal said slowly from beside us, leaning down to look at Kadence, "There's nothing that says the Metal Knight can't give hitchhikers a lift."

Kadence lit up, grinning widely to reveal teeth whiter than the snow on the ground, "You'll help?" He nodded and her grin doubled, looking about ready to break off of her face.

"Wait!" I protested, staring at Metal, "We can't take her with us!"

"_You_ can't take her with us," He replied, grabbing Kadence's arm and dragging her onto the horse to sit behind him, "I can do as I please."

With that he kicked his horse into motion, not waiting for my reply. Feeling angry I followed in silence, no doubt fitting the part of the Judgment Knight well. Even my knights seemed to keep more of a distance as I glowered at the road ahead of us, ignoring the two mischievous people riding next to me.

_Why is it that nobody ever listens to a thing I say?! Honestly! I bet Metal is just doing it to annoy me. Ah her brothers going to be worried! Wendy will probably faint..._

As we continued to ride these dark thoughts accumulated, darkening my mood also. Suddenly we stopped and I looked ahead of us in angry confusion. The road was thick with snow, at least as deep as my hip, making it almost impossible for our horses to cross.

"Ignal," I called my Vice-Captain before ordering, "Get out the shovels. We'll need to dig through this."

I started loosening the straps near my feet to get off and help assist my knights in dealing with the problem. I hadn't gotten far before I was interrupted by a loud voice.

"No need!" Kadence's cheery voice piped up as she slid off of the horse clumsily, "I'll deal with it," A few of the knights who had not witnessed her capture of the Necromancer scoffed, until she reached forward her hands and the snow parted; leaving a clear path. I could see in their eyes that every knight instantly liked and respected her a lot more. After all, nobody wants to waste time digging through snow that thick snow, especially with the hangovers several of them must still be nursing.

"Hehe," Kadence said cheekily, turning to me with her hands on her hips, "Aren't you glad I came now?"

I stared at her coldly before signalling my horse to continue. I heard her indignant shouts, but chose to ignore them. Instead I remained in solitude, thinking up ways to return her after we arrived at Leaf Bud City. I could get a transportation circle, but they were often expensive. Or possibly even send some knights to escort her back... I shook my head. It wouldn't work. As long as she persisted on coming, there was nothing I could do to stop her.

"Youre joking!" Metal laughed behind me, conversing with Kadence and interrupting my thoughts, "The South is wonderful. I can't believe you've never been."

"I might have, when I was little. But in the end my brother and I have never had any reason to leave the North since we got there."

"Why the sudden change of mind then?"

"I'm not really sure," She replied slowly, "I just had a gut instinct. Like I had to."

"Aren't you worried about your brother?"

"Not really. He'll come if he wants to, but he won't be angry that I left."

"Seems nice," Metal commented, "Do you do this often?"

"Nope!"

"Then how do you know he won't be mad?"

"Brother never gets mad at me," She said cheekily.

"So you're spoilt?" Metal laughed.

"Spoilt is such a nasty word," She amended, "I prefer cared for."

"Youre _very_ cared for then, aren't you?" He said with a laugh, and I heard the sound of her hitting him, "Okay okay! Geez you're strong. We should spar sometime."

"Definitely!" She exclaimed excitedly, "I'll kick your butt!"

"We'll see about that!" He retorted, "Hey look! We're almost there!"

Dark had almost fallen but the glow of Leaf Bud City still hummed in the distance, growing closer and closer until it engulfed us.

"Welcome," Metal said grandly, "To Leaf Bud City, Home of the Chuch of the God of Light and the Twelve Holy Knights!"

"Showoff," Kadence muttered, but as their horse pulled up next to mine I could see the excitement in her eyes. In the time we had been gone the Summer Festival had begun, and the streets were alive. Around us troupes were performing all sorts of tricks; singing, magic, dancing, music, blade throwing, plays and many more. Above the bustling crowds hung lanterns that bathed the streets in light, including the seemingly endless plethora of shops and stalls that lined every street. The festivities split, standing to either side of the road as we passed. Although they were always beautiful, I'd never had a chance to participate in any of the upbeat festivals. After all, my face was feared among the citizens. Instead the Warm and Kind hearted section would attend, bringing in even more festivities and (most importantly for the Pope) donations for the church. I couldn't see any on the way to the Church, but I was sure they were there, somewhere. They would all be running around for the entirety of the festivals, fulfilling their roles in turn. I struggled to keep the corners of my mouth down as I realised that Leaf was most likely in the crowds, having children dumped on him to play with.

When we reached the church I dismounted, signalling to nearby Holy Knights to take the horses for us. Turning to my knights I said in a deep voice, "You may leave now."

"Eep!" Kadence tripped as she dismounted the horse, but quickly righted herself again. Metal, meanwhile, dismounted with ease; jumping off the horse and landing easily next to her with a smug grin.

I sighed, "I'll take the criminal to the Judgment Complex from here." My knights nodded, dispersing and leaving the criminal in my care. I gripped his chains firmly, taking care to double-check all of his bindings before taking the bag off his head to let him see his way as we began to walk.

"I'm coming with you!" Kadence said quickly, hurrying up to me. Her hair flew out behind her as she moved forward, catching the light.

"I'm off to my rooms," Metal said simply, turning to grin but giving no explanation other than, "I have business."

With that he left, giving me no choice but to tow Kadence along with me. We padded along the dry grass silently, until after awhile she asked softly, "Are you really that mad at me?"

I shook my head wearily, "Not really. I'm just worried about you leaving your friends and family behind like that. But I know you must really wanted to have come. It's good timing, too."

"Isn't it?" She exclaimed excitedly clapping her hands together and practically skipping, "It's so beautiful here! We should explore together!I want to watch the performers and try the food they have here!"

"I can't do that," I said quickly, "Maybe you can go with Metal?"

"Why can't you come?" She demanded.

"The citizens don't feel comfortable around me..."

We entered the Judgment Complex and I promptly dumped the criminal in one of the cells, locking it securely behind me.

"That's nonsense!" She said crankily, arms crossed infront of herself, "They can get over it!"

"Let them be at peace," I replied calmly before looking down at her dirtied and ripped attire, adding, "You can't go out in that, either. It's all tattered now."  
She fingered the torn ends of her dress while biting her lip, "I have nothing else to wear."

"I think Metal should be able to help with that," I said, looking over her critically, "He's probably been dying to show somebody new his skills."

"What skills?" She said excitedly, eyes sparkling, "Can he conjure clothing?! Or make this dress into a brand new one with magic?!"

I laughed despite myself, shaking my head as I began to walk in the direction of Metals rooms and explained to her, "I don't think that's the way magic works. He can't work magic for his life, either," She looked slightly disappointed, "But the clothing he makes is like magic. They're always very beautiful."

"I would not have pegged him to be the tailoring type," She said, grinning to herself as we walked down the halls, "I figured his hobbies would include alcohol and fighting, more than something peaceful like tailoring."

"Oh? Isn't tailoring better, though? I mean he'll probably make you something nice. He seems to like you," I said, smiling faintly, "Tailoring is more productive."

"Drinking and fighting would have been more fun, though!" She insisted, dancing ahead and turning to look and me and walk backwards, "I don't know anything about tailoring!"

I sighed, exasperated as I stopped infront of Metals door, "I'm sure he wouldn't say no to fighting and drinking either."

She leant infront of my cheekily, knocking quickly and calling out in a sing song voice, "O' Insulting and Rude Metal Knight! Open thy door and indulge in my magnificent company!"

I heard a stifled laugh from the other side of the door and Metal opened it, grinning lopsidedly as he said happily, "O' Bratty Kid, enter my den if you dare."

She rolled her eyes and stepped in, dragging me along with her. Inside was brightly lit, with sewing equipment. Along the walls neatly stacked bundles of cloth laid, and in the corner were two mannequins. On one of them was a dress of a soft orange and red, glass and thread working together to create flames that snaked up the dress and caught the light. It clung to the mannequin well, flaring out at the bottom. The dress continued to the neck like a halter.

I could see her eyes get caught on it, widening significantly.

"How do you like it?" Metal sounded cheeky as he leant against a wall, staring at her with a glint in his eyes.

"I take back what I said!" She said promptly, staring at the dress in awe, "Tailoring is the coolest thing ever. After fighting and alcohol."

He chuckled as he loosened its hold over the mannequin, throwing it to her with a flourish. She caught it, surprised as she stared from it to him. He said in a bright voice, "For you. As a gift for your first day in Leaf Bud City, and in the South in general. Dont worry;it fits. There's a room to your left you can change in."

She followed his directions excitedly, closing the door quickly behind herself. I waited patiently to the side, expecting her to burst out in it at any moment. When she didn't I began to frown to myself, stepping forward and asking in a loud voice, "Everything alright in there?"

The sounds of struggle ensued, making me worried, until she finally cracked open the door and peaked her head out, saying in a quiet voice, "I can't get the zip..."

"Oh just come out," Metal said, rolling his eyes at her. She did so obediently and he quickly zipped in up in one smooth motion, "Go have a look."

She nodded excitedly, turning to the mirror and stopping to stare at herself in surprise. I can understand why. It fit her perfectly, of course. It started around her neck, trailing down in a brilliant red silk, curving around her before flourishing out at the ends, finishing just below her knees. She touched the fabric absently,running her fingers across the ornate bumps of bright orange glass-beads. In a soft voice she murmured, "This is beautiful."

"Of course it is!" Metal boasted, looking haughty, "Everything I make is beautiful."

"There's just one thing," She said quietly, making him frown in annoyance, "You weren't joking," She looked up to glower at him sourly, "About it fitting. Geez. I didn't know the Metal Knight was a pervert!"

His face reddened and I laughed softly. I took it as retribution for his earlier teasing. Then I felt a little uneasy. I'd never encountered anybody that disregarded our positions so easily, making us fumble with our acts as she did so. _I really have no idea how she's managed to survive so far. It must be her brother, right? I mean, nobody who's this bold and fight-happy could possibly live this long without somebody looking after them. I suddenly felt pity for her brother._

"You two go enjoy the festival. I'm going to go deal with some paperwork," I said, turning. I was halfway to the door before Metal exclaimed loudly.

"What are you talking about?!" He said, staring at me incredulously, "I don't have time for that! Why don't you go? She's your responsibility!"

"But you're the one who brought her," I argued helplessly.

He shook his head seriously, pushing both of us out of his room as he said, "No, no! I don't have a miracle vice-captain like you! I have enough paperwork to drown in!"

"But you dump all your work on Moon!" I exclaimed, but he had already shut the door on our faces. I stood for a moment, staring at the door and resisting the urge to bang my head on it.

"So," Kadence said casually from beside me, a cheeky grin lighting up her face, "Now you have to take me, huh?"

_This is what they call a Devil dressed as an Angel, right?_

* * *

**Thankyou for the reviews! I hope you like the story so far! If you have any questions or ideas don't be afraid to send me a message, I'll always reply!**

**On other news, I won't me able to update as frequently for awhile. I have a big event coming up so I'm getting fairly busy trying to get everything under control. For those of you currently reading Legend of the Dark Knight_Alternate Ending, fear not! I've got a half-baked chapter in the oven. I'll probably post it tomorrow, if I get time.**


	18. Chapter 17

When I became the Judgment Knight-in-training I had been pushed through all kinds of endurance, stamina and strength training. I once climbed to the top of a mountain without any use of my legs, and at that time I had walked on my hands. The _whole_ way. Later on in my training I had to survive in a forest for a week without any food, water or supplies. I was also frequently pushed into drinking with the current Sun Knight. If you don't know him you probably won't understand why this was thrown in, but suffice to say that drinking with the past Sun Knight could be used as a torture method in the Judgment Complex. And it would be effective.

None of these, or any of the other training I had received, had prepared me for attending the festival with Kadence.

"Seriph, Seriph!" She shouted excitedly, making me want to run away. She was currently pointing and staring at a fortune telling booth with bright eyes, "Let's go there next!"

She was _brutal._ We had been running around for hours, moving from stall to booth to performance to- well, everything really. I had agreed to come, albeit reluctantly, but had insisted that I wear my hooded cloak. She had whined at that time, all the way from my quarters to the festivities, making me wonder if she ever tired. At that time, I had only seen the tip of the iceberg. For the moment we crossed the threshold into the bright lights and loud crowd she had produced a seemingly endless wallet, running to and fro without pause.

Still, I let her tug me over to the fortune tellers without complaint, After all, she seemed happy. She was in a constant state of grinning, her hair hanging down brightly and her dress catching the light, sending red-orange reflections glittering off the glass beading. I obviously wasn't the only one noticing it, as people peeked at her curiously. Some even went to the extent of stopping to stare, others even following us as though they wanted to approach her and start conversation. None of them did, though. After all, even with my black hood I was obviously male. Some of them gave me the dirty eye, mumbling curses to themselves. I was glad though, as most of the attention was stuck on Kadence. This way nobody would look closely enough at me to see under my hood.

We entered the small fortune-tellers tent, looking around curiously. Inside was dimly lit, with cushions and rugs sprawled out all across the floor. In the middle, on a pink cushion, sat a young woman with elegant brown curls. Her skin was smooth and caramel-coloured, her eyes lined heavily with black. Jewels made spiralling patterns around her eyes, glittering gold in the light. She wore loose, red clothing adorned with bright jewellery.

She didn't look up as we approached, merely kept her eyes closed and pointed to the ground.

"Um," Kadence looked unsure, stepping forward and sitting down infront of her hesitantly. Naturally she pulled me along, dragging me down to sit next to her. She bit her lip as she looked at the unresponsive woman, waiting a moment before asking in a soft voice, "Are you asleep?"

"No, Child," The woman said in a lilting voice, her red lips quirking in amusement, "Although you appear to be."

"Hey!" She said indignantly, while I tried to smother a laugh, "That's rude!"

"I'm sure you'll live. Now tell me child; you did not come here to banter, did you?" The woman said in a strange accent.

"No," Kadence said, regaining her happy mood quickly, "Can you really tell fortunes?!"

"Everyone is always so obsessed with the future," She remarked, shaking her head softly, "Some too obsessed to realize their present," She reached forward for Kadence's hands. Kadence hesitated slightly before offering them, and the lady began to patiently open Kadence's clenched palm. In the middle sat a bright blue marble. Kadence looked shocked, staring at me and the woman in turn. She stayed surprisingly quiet as the woman took the marble, holding it up to the light as she said, "You're too obsessed with it to even see your past. And what an interesting past it is."

"How do I see it?" Kadence asked quickly, leaning forward and staring at the woman intensely, "How do I find it again?"

The woman laughed to herself, smiling even wider to reveal a bright set of white teeth, "It finds you, silly child. As," She placed the marble in Kadence's hands, closing her fingers over it as she did so, "Will your future. Why, it's finding you right now."

"What?!" Kadence snapped, looking annoyed, "That's not helpful at all!"

"You have plenty help in your life," The woman said in her strange accent, shrugging carelessly and standing up, "Why would you need a strangers help?"

"Isn't that what you're paid to do?" Kadence asked incredulously, standing up and pulling me with her.

"Ah," The woman said in an inspired voice, holding her hand up and gesturing to us, "I don't remember you paying, Kadence. Do you, Seriph?"

Kadence cracked, turning to me with an agitated look, "Don't listen to her Seriph. She probably heard us talking, the old fraud!"

"Now, Now dear," The woman said, ushering us out and saying in a quiet voice, "Even if I was a fraud, I would never be so bold as to blatantly lie to the Judgment Knight," My eyes widened in shock and she finished pushing us out, turning to us with a sly smile before saying, "You two have a nice night now."

I instantly felt uneasy and began to lead Kadence away, despite her loud protests that she wanted to go back and 'Knock that hags head in!'. When we got a suitable distance away I stopped, relinquishing my grip on her arm and standing to the side of the procession while looking around worriedly. If she told anybody else panic could spread, and I could be caught out breaking my 'Unkind and uncaring' image. After all, Judgment Knights don't attend festivals. They just don't.

"Kadence," I began uneasily, pulling my hood down further and speaking in hushed tones, "I think we should leave now..."

She didn't answer. Instead she was staring off into another direction, looking overly excited. I followed her gaze and saw why. Down the street was a large, crowded tent. Across its entrance there was a large banner, reading 'Drink if you dare! See if you have the stomach to compete with the best drinker in the world!'

For a second I was suspicious that the previous Sun Knight was here. Then I dismissed it. He was too well-remembered around these parts to go off starting drinking fights. At best he would have a room full of statues.

"I want to go there!" She said excitedly, eyes sparkling and grin wide enough to tear, "Seriph, Seriph, Lets go there!"

"Kadence," I said in exasperation as she grabbed my arm and began to tug me to the tent, "You shouldn't run around drinking freely. I don't want to have to look after you when you're drunk."

"Pfft!" She snorted, pushing back the tent entrance and squeezing the two of us into the crowd. From there she began to weave to the stage, speaking to me as she did so, "Don't go underestimating me! I could drink for a year and not get drunk!"

"Kade-" I was starting to get genuinely worried. All around us were citizens, all looking happy. I didn't want to disrupt that. But before I could protest, a loud voice that sounded awfully familiar called out…

"Woah! Another one bites the dust! Who else thinks they can compete and win?!"

We finally got close enough to reveal the stage. On top of it a man sat at a table with two chairs, while another man lay passed out on the floor. The sitting man was large, with wide shoulders and long, dark hair. Next to him, grinning and wearing his official uniform, stood Blaze.

_Shi-!_

I knew that the 'Warm and Kind-Hearted' faction would be patrolling, but I didn't think I would come across one of them like this. It made sense, though, that they would be pulled in to help host and run some of the entertainment.

"Kadence," I whispered urgently, but she either ignored me or didn't hear.

Instead she pushed through the rest of the way, leaving me at the stage before jumping up and putting her hand in the air, saying in a loud voice, "I will!"

People began to laugh, nudging each other and pointing to her as if she were comical. I had to admit, it was an amusing sight. She was now standing opposite the thick, towering man, her hand placed on the table firmly and a cocky grin covering her face. Even with her long, golden hair covering full view of her body it was obvious that she was only a slip of a girl. Blaze looked unsure, leaning in and saying in a kind voice, "Are you sure? This isn't a game you know, kid?"

"Hmph," She pulled out the chair opposite the drinker and sat, staring at Blaze stubbornly, "Don't underestimate me!"

The drinker laughed boisterously, pounding the table with his large fists and saying, "Let her participate! She has fire!"

Blaze shrugged, beginning to set large pitchers of alcohol in front of the two of them before saying in his usual, loud voice, "Start!"

They began immediately, picking up the drinks and chugging them like they were water. I stood as close to Kadence as I could without actually getting on the stage, ready to jump up and catch her the instant she fell. It was proven unnecessary though, as they continued and continued. Slowly the laughter of the crowd turned into awed hush, staring as the two of them drank pitcher after pitcher, not stopping or stalling at all. Beads of sweat began to form on the 'Drinker's brow, and he began to sway slightly in his seat. Kadence had no such reaction, a cheeky smile lighting up her face as she watched him over the lip of her drink. Eventually he fell, landing with a thump on the table and spilling his half-finished drink everywhere. She stood, finishing off her drink and licking her lips with a smile.

"That was fun!" She laughed, turning to the stupefied Blaze and crossing her arms triumphantly, "What's the prize?"

"Um," I felt like laughing and crying at the same time. Since she had come to Leaf Bud City she seemed to be rendering the Twelve Holy Knights speechless every time she met them. Finally Blaze regained his senses, turning to the crowd of statues and holding Kadences arm into the air, "We have a winner!"

There was silence, then explosive applause. People were cheering loudly all around me, making my ears hurt. Still, it was a nice feeling. I joined the crowd in clapping, shaking my head and smiling. Until, that was, Blaze turned and gave her the reward; a heavy-looking wallet.

_Sob… We're going to be stuck running around the festival till it ends, aren't we?!_

"Here's your prize!" Blaze said to her, grinning widely and shaking his head, "I won't lie to you, kid! When I first saw you I thought you'd pass out after one drink!"

"Don't worry!" She said cheekily, moving to the edge of the stage to jump off, "I thought the same for you!"

She jumped, grabbing my arm and leading me out amongst the still-cheering crowd, laughing and thanking the people that shouted her praises. Behind us I heard Blaze yell out, "Well I'll prove I won't pass out so easily, so next time come drinking with me!"

"Sure thing!" She yelled behind her back before we exited the tent and entered back into the bustling streets. She turned back to me as we rejoined the crowd, grinning widely and saying in a smug voice, "I told you not to underestimate me!"

I raised an eyebrow and said in a disbelieving voice, "I still don't think that was a good idea. What if you pass out? I'll have to carry you all the way back to the temple."

"Tcht," Her smug look faded and she pouted, "If I say I'm not drunk, I'm not drunk!"

"Sure, Sure," I said in a tired voice.

"Fine!" She snapped, looking around with a cheeky grin before letting go of my hand and disappearing into the crowd.

"Kadence!" I shouted after her, pushing through people and following her.

I kept following her until I broke out of the crowd and into a clearing, looking around in confusion. I scoured the crowd , unable to find her. In the middle of my panic I found her.

In the middle of the clearing were a group of dancers, the bells sewn into their outfits tinkling as they leapt, spun and danced around. Nearby the sound of music drifted by, played by a group of performers that appeared to be with the dancers. Along with the sound of their instruments came a bright, heavenly voice. Despite it there was obviously no singers in the group of travelers. Instead the voice was coming from Kadence, who was dancing among the performers happily. Her golden hair whispered through the air and swirled around her, brilliantly golden. Her dress sparkled and fluttered up around her.

The dancers were, luckily, a carefree sort. They let her join without complaint, laughing and smiling as they fluttered around.

Part of me wanted to be annoyed, but I couldn't muster it in the midst of her presence. She looked angelic, the crowd around us clapped joyfully and cheered them on. _If only they knew what she was actually like, they'd go running!_

"Seriph, Seriph!" She shouted, reaching out to grab my hand, "Dance with me!"

I shook my head fiercely, standing back and holding myself out of her reach. It was fun enough being able to watch. I didn't want to join and risk exposure.

She rolled her eyes at me, continuing until the music stopped. At that stage she returned to me, grabbing my arm and laughing merrily, "That was fun! I told you I wasn't drunk, didn't I?!"

"Oh?" I said, smiling to myself as we were bustled around. People bumped into us as we walked past. I waited a moment, thoughtful before saying, "You're hard to sneak up on, right?"

"Well," She look confused, "Yeah. Nobody's ever gotten the best of me. But why?"

"Nothing much," I replied, a smug smile lifting my lips, "Just that the boy in red just pick-pocketed you."


	19. Chapter 18

"What?!" She grabbed her pocket and her face turned furious, "How dare he!"

She turned, scouring the crowd before beginning to push through hurriedly. I trailed off after her, feeling sorry for the boy wearing red. If he had known who he'd been planning to steal from he would be crying in apology just for thinking of doing anything. I kept my eyes on him the whole time, resolving to let Kadence deal with it rather than taking him back to the Judgment Complex. After all, he looked like he was only a child. Normal people would have a hard time even _seeing_ him in this crowd, but I was the Judgment Knight who had years of experience in spotting criminals. And Kadence was just… scary.

He darted into an alley and she followed, shouting out as she did so. I felt like banging my head against the alley wall. _Don't just go announcing your presence, idiot!_ Still, I followed her in quietly. It was a dead end, and the boy was looking around frantically for an escape. _He must be new to thieving… _His hair was a mass of brown curls, sticking up here and there messily. He was grubby, covered in dirt; obviously a street urchin. His clothing was a faded red, torn and frayed in places. Looking closer at him I could see cuts and bruises scattered throughout his skin, making me sure he was new to thieving. The injuries could probably be accounted to foolish blunders like he had just made. Entering into a dead alley was a rookie mistake.

When he realized there was no escape he reached into his clothing and produced a small, crude knife. It looked like it was carved out of an empty beer bottle.

"Stay back!" He shouted frantically, eyes full of fear as he adopted a clumsy fighting pose, "I-I-I'm not afraid, so s-stay back!"

She took a step forward and he slashed wildly, missing her by a mile. She grabbed his hand easily, and I was just about to step in to stop her from hurting him when she exclaimed, "What's with all these injuries?!"

He struggled against her grip, letting go of the knife, but she didn't relinquish it. Instead she flicked him between the eyes and said sternly, "Stay still, brat."

He did as she said with tears in his eyes, obviously resolved to his fate. Instead of striking him she began to glow softly with Holy Light, healing his injuries quickly. Afterwards she stood back and grinned widely, "There!"

He looked up at her with big, frightened eyes as he whispered, "Please don't send me to the Judgment Knight, Miss Cleric! I swear I wasn't trying to be bad!"

"Cleric?" She laughed, obviously amused as she tousled his hair playfully, "I won't send you to the big, bad Judgment Knight," She snuck me a sly look before turning to him seriously, "But you shouldn't steal! It's wrong!"

"I-I-I," He began to cry, rubbing his eyes pitifully while wailing, "I'm sorry! I-I-I don't have any money or family!"

She looked down at him uncomfortably before turning to me with a hopeful look, "Can we take him to the Temple? He could start training to be a knight or maybe a cleric…?"

I looked at him thoughtfully, unsure. _Generally it wasn't the Temple's way to hire criminals but…_ He looked so hopeful. I sighed, "Fine."

"Are you sure, Big sister?" He asked Kadence, tugging on her hand and making me laugh under my breath, "Won't they take me to the Judgment Knight for being naughty? I don't want that! He seems scary!"

"Hey!" She reprimanded seriously, "Don't judge a book by its cover. What if he heard you? I'm sure that would hurt his feelings!"

"But I heard he's really mean!" The little boy insisted, looking terrified, "The bigger boys told me to always be careful of him! That he kills anybody who even _looks_ like a criminal!"

"He's not like that at all!" Kadence said, grinning widely and bending down to talk to the boy, "He's actually an alright guy! He can't even cut a tomato right!"

I felt like groaning. _Don't go telling strangers that sort of weird stuff… You're going to be sent to a Looney bin…_

"Really?" The little boy asked, eyes wide, "I heard he tortures people, though!"

She shook her head gently, smiling sadly as she did so, "Only bad people who hurt others. He's a really good person!"

The boy still looked unsure, but he nodded seriously, "If Big Sis says so, then I'll believe her… But will they really let me join the Temple? I heard it's hard…"

"Don't worry!" She said cheerfully, grabbing his hand and beginning to walk out of the alleyway, "I have some friends in the Temple! I'll definitely make them accept you!"

We entered the bustling crowd, beginning to walk in the direction of the Temple. I stayed quiet the whole way while Kadence and the small boy talked. She eventually found, to her obvious surprise, that he didn't have a name. Her surprise was reasonable, as she had probably lived in that small town her whole life. Here, in the city, there were street urchins who had never been given names. It was commonplace, and often they came to refer to each other by nicknames. Kadence looked horrified at the thought.

"Everybody just calls me 'Kid'," The boy explained nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders, "It's not so bad. There are worse names."

She looked shy, surprising me. In a soft voice she said, "We can give you a name, if you'd like…?"

He looked excited, nodding his head quickly and grinning widely, "Would you?! None of the other street-kids knew enough to be able to give a name!"

"Okay, Okay!" She said, looking energetic, "Just let me think of a good one, okay?"

He let her think as we walked, and eventually we reached the Holy Temple and she turned to him, looking cheeky as she said, "What about Seriph?"

"Kadence!" I said immediately in exasperation, "Not that one."

"Oh but it's such a cute name," She said cheekily, grinning widely, "Fine. You choose one then."

I hesitated before saying in an unsure voice, "Jean?"

She looked pleasantly surprised, nodding to herself and turning to the boy, "That's a good one. What do you think?"

He looked thoughtful, mouthing the name silently to himself before bursting into a large smile, "Jean… I like it! Can I really have it?"

She nodded, turning to me questioningly, "So where do we sign him up?"

"I'll ask my vice-captain to assign him. Is there any platoon in particular you wanted to join…?" I asked, looking at him and trying to discern which he would best suit. Maybe Blaze's platoon; after all, he was brave and brazen. Or Leaf's… He seemed caring enough to suit the role.

"Well," He said, biting his lip and fidgeting slightly, "Maybe… Judgment Knight's?" I froze, stunned until he explained quickly, "Big Sis s-said he was n-nice so I thought maybe…" He trailed off, face red.

Kadence patted his head, laughing loudly to herself, "I think we can do that! Right, Seriph?"

"Are you sure?" I asked seriously, "You'll be in charge of patrolling the streets and capturing criminals. It won't be easy. The citizens won't be as friendly with you…"

"I'm sure," He said, looking determined, "People weren't friendly to me to start with. I want to repay my debt to the city, and so I can let other people know they don't have to be bad, just like you taught me!"

"Is that so, Little Judgment Knight?" Kadence said softly, staring at him with kind eyes, "I think that's perfect."

I was smiling under my hood, just a little. Nodding I turned to walk away, calling out behind me, "I'll go arrange it now, so go to Metal's room and bug him for a bit."

I yawned as I walked in the direction of the Judgment Platoon's quarters. The grass crunched softly under my feet while the stars sparkled brilliantly above me. Everything seemed a bit brighter, despite it being well into the night. I stopped outside of their quarters, wondering whether it would be better to knock, or just enter. In the end I decided on knocking, my fist rapping against the door loudly.

Somebody opened immediately, grinning widely and laughing, "You're back earlier than usual- Captain?!" His grin dropped and he looked at me in surprise, immediately adopting a more formal pose and saluting, "I apologize, Captain! I didn't realize it was you!"

"No problem," I said quietly, shaking my head, "I was just wondering where Ignal was? I have something to discuss with him."

"He's out in the training ground, Sir," He said, looking slightly confused and… rueful? I shook it off, saying a quick word of thanks and leaving. I heard him mumble something to himself as he left, but didn't pause to wonder what it was.

_What's he doing at the training grounds so late?_

When I arrived he was holding a wooden practice sword, running through drills relentlessly. I could see that he was sweating heavily, but it didn't seem to faze him. Unsure whether or not I was being rude I called out, "Ignal."

He stopped immediately, turning to look at me in surprise. He quickly dropped the sword, saluting and approaching me with a worried look, "Yes, Captain? Has something happened?"

"Nothing serious," I said, wishing I could smile in reassurance but knowing that it would probably make him faint in fear, "In Metal's room there is a boy who will be starting his Knight training. Could you please take him under your wing? He intends to join the Judgment Platoon. However if the stress is too much he _can_ be reassigned."

He looked dazed, but nodded obediently, "Yes, Sir."

"You may take your time," I turned to leave but hesitated before saying cautiously, "Thank you for the hard work. Your drill-form was excellent."

His whole face lit up as I left. _Maybe I just need to start complimenting them more?_ I nodded to myself, deciding to do just that as I made my way to my rooms. When I was in them I threw off the cloak, rubbing my head sorely and changing into my Judgment Knight uniform. After this I still needed to assign Kadence to her rooms and grab some dinner from the kitchens. I hadn't realized it when we were out, but I was starving.

_I should probably get some for Kadence, too. I don't think she actually ended up eating anything… She has the endurance of a Knight, though. I should get her to try and teach my Platoon one day… Knock on wood, Knock on wood! If I did that they'd definitely hate me forever._

I entered the kitchen quietly, mindful of startling anybody. Luckily it was deserted, so I moved to the pot and grabbed three bowls of stew, putting it on a tray and carrying it carefully. When I turned the corner and entered the hall in front of the rooms I saw Ignal, Kadence and Jean. Jean was clinging to Kadence's arm, looking slightly afraid. Ignal was dressed in his uniform, talking quietly.

"You'll start your training with the Platoon tomorrow," He explained, "Everybody is fairly friendly, so don't worry."

"Yep!" Kadence said happily, pushing Jean towards Ignal, "They're all big softies!" Ignal's face was caught between exasperation and surprise, "I might even join training tomorrow!"

Ignal finally noticed me approached, turning sharply and saluting with a serious face, "Captain."

I nodded, making sure to wear my Judgment Knight face. I didn't want Jean recognizing me. I began to talk in a deep voice, "As you were."

"Hey, Hey!" Kadence said happily, grabbing one of the bowls and asking in a sweet voice, "Let me join in on training tomorrow."

Jean looked confused, staring between us with big eyes. _Argh. At least make an attempt not to seem so friendly! You're going to confuse the kid!_ I looked at her coldly, not answering. Instead I turned to Ignal, who had already recovered enough to look serious, "You may leave now."

He nodded, guiding a confused-looking Jean away after saluting me. Metal appeared, leaning against his door with an amused look as he said in a sarcastic voice, "Seriph Judgment, the hero. Savior of lost children and misguided criminals."

I raised an eyebrow silently, offering him a bowl. He looked surprised, but accepted it with a quiet word of thanks. I turned to Kadence, "I should probably show you your rooms now…"

She was shaking her head, looking stubborn, "_After_ we eat. Geez. You need to work on your patience," She squeezed past Metal, not asking before setting the bowl down on the table and flopping onto one of the chairs. She began eating, smiling with each bite she took.

"Well, you might as well come in too," Metal said, not looking at me before following Kadence's lead. I hesitated for a moment before closing the door behind me and sitting, feeling awkward. I couldn't remember the last time I hadn't eaten alone. It felt… nice.

"So, Can I join in on training tomorrow?" Kadence asked between bites, looking hopeful.

"I'm not sure I want to expose my Platoon to that sort of danger," I said wryly, amused when her face turned defensive.

"Hey!" She whined, glaring at me, "It'll be fine!"

"Weren't you supposed to go to the Palace tomorrow?" Metal asked curiously, looking at me as he played with his food, "Leaf was complaining about it, so I offered to take his place."

I groaned. _I forgot about that… now what am I meant to do? I definitely don't trust her alone, but I can't exactly-_

"Take me, Take me!" Kadence said excitedly, dismissing her original plan, "I want to see the Palace!"

"Why not?" Metal said with a shrug, "I can't imagine the kind of damage she would do if she was just left here. Besides, Grisia should be coming back to the Temple tomorrow to visit. They'd probably kill each other."

I felt a chill and immediately accepted, "Okay, we'll take you. But you have to behave, okay?"

She looked suspicious, "Who's Grisia?"

"He's the past Sun Knight," Metal explained, looking amused, "Our Judgment Knight here is terrified of him."

She looked at me incredulously while Metal laughed. In a low voice I murmured, "You never had to go drinking with him. Or practice swordsmanship."

"Is his swordsmanship really that good?" Kadence asked, looking excited.

I shook my head seriously, "No, It's terrible. So terrible it's deadly. Before you even start to spar his sword is already flying…"

I shuddered in remembrance. _At that time teacher had asked me to train with the Sun Knight… I thought that the Sun Knight must be an exceptionally good teacher for my teacher to suggest I spar with him. Instead, he wanted __**me**__ to be the teacher…_

"Woah," Kadence said, an admiring look in her eyes, "He sounds interesting."

"No, No," I said quickly, shaking my head, "He's the devil in human form, trust me."

_Actually you two might get along…_

"So I get to go to the Palace?" She said, grinning widely. I nodded in a tired manner, wondering how much trouble she could get up to. _It shouldn't be too bad, right? I'm sure the Royal Knights would be able to stop her before she did _too_ much damage…_

"But only if you're mindful of my image," I said quickly, setting up some ground rules hopefully, "And you have to behave. No picking fights with any of the guards. Try and speak respectfully. Okay?"

She looked at me blankly for a few moments before saying, "I'll try. Maybe."

Metal chuckled to himself and I began to wonder what I had done in my past life to deserve this.

* * *

_**Thank you all so much for the reviews! I hope you're enjoying reading the story as much as I enjoy writing it. Who's your favourite character? I can't decide 3**_


	20. Chapter 19

When we arrived at the Palace I watched Kadence in amusement. Metal had magically produced another, more suitable, outfit for her to wear today; It was a simple, high necked dress that cut off below her knees, and it was dyed a bright blue. Somehow in between waking her and leaving she had managed to befriend a group of passing female clerics, who had insisted that they fix her hair if she was going to the palace. In the end it was tied high using a piece of blue ribbon that Metal had quickly sewn for them. Right now she was leaning out of the carriage slightly, her mouth ajar and her eyes wide in wonder.

"You look stupid," Metal commented mildly, grinning.

"This is so cool," She murmured, not reacting to the insult, "I can't believe people actually live here..."

I had to fight to keep my Judgment Knight image in tact as we exited the carriage and she began to become excited. Entering the Palace we began to walk along the pure white marble floors, the walls painted a contrasting dark red, pillars lining the walls and matching the gold archways, tall windows illuminating everything. The whole Palace was richly adorned, thanks to the money-wasting previous king. Still, it was a masterpiece. Everything from the hanging chandeliers to the elegant skirting boards screamed expensive.

"Do you get to come here often?" She asked, gazing around with an awed look.

I would have replied, but I had my image to care for. I didn't want to threaten it by talking casually.

"Only on business," Metal explained, shrugging as he did so, "We're called in for matters involving the Church, City and Country."

"What does that mean?" She asked with a frown.

"If the Church's funds are running low, or the Palace needs a ceremony to be performed we get called in," He said, "If the City has any problems with protection or events we deal with them," He turned a corner, "And if the Country has any problems we're called in."

"What kind of problems does a Country have?" She asked curiously.

"War, although there hasn't been one for generations. If neighboring cities need protection or are rebelling we're sent out to deal with it. Just like the problem at your town with the Necromancer," He explained dutifully.

"Sounds like a pain in the butt," She said, frowning and shaking her head slightly as we walked.

"It is, sometimes," He admitted as we walked towards the throne room. Infront of the massive, gilded doors stood a small group of Royal Guards who immediately jumped and began opening it upon seeing us approach. As we passed them they bowed respectfully, but still high enough to emphasize that, while we were of high rank, we weren't the ones they served. It was a complicated bow, as it took quite some time to discern how low was low enough to be courteous, while still high enough to maintain dignity. It didn't help that it varied depending on whom they were bowing to either. For instance; They wouldn't dare bow as high to me as they would to say, Leaf. Out of all of the Twelve Holy Knights I was the one who elicited the lowest bow from Royal Guards and Holy Knights alike. If Sun had been around it might have been different, though.

The thought made my chest twist uncomfortably. I ignored it as I walked down the long carpet and to the throne, where the King and Princess sat silently. The King sat regally; his back straight and gaze even. Next to him the Princess looked bored, not even bothering to look up when we entered. I could see Kadence form the corner of my eye; keeping her head down, no doubt in an attempt to be polite. Metal and I bowed neatly infront of their majesty's, and Kadence stumbled into a messy curtesy. I felt like rolling my eyes, but refrained.

"Your Majesty," I said in my deep, booming voice as I stood up, "The strict God of Light pays you his favor. How may we be of service today?"

If this had come from any other knight they would have been strongly reprimanded. The conversation _should_ include a lengthy introduction, packed with compliments and apologies. It was part of the reason Leaf had been so reluctant to come. The other knights had to speak for minutes before they would be able to come to the actual topic, as I had done. But I was the Judgment Knight, and my rudeness was tolerated.

"There have," The King started in a stern voice, "Been multiple reports of thieving during this festival period. It seems that the Judgment Platoon has not been making their customary rounds. Is there any reason in particular that you have been neglecting your duty and letting criminals run amuck?"

The King and the Pope were probably the only people alive to have the ability to talk to me like that. Actually, scrap that. The King, Pope and Kadence. The first two were because their ranks were above mine, the only people in this Kingdom who could claim that. The third was just... pure cluelessness.

"The warm faction had been set in charge of the matter, as per usual. May the strict God of Light punish their negligence," I said, cursing that I had to say it. In a determined voice I continued, "From today forth the strict God of Light will watch the festival closely for any depraved criminals."

_Maybe I can get my platoon to disguise themselves and deal with the criminals silently._

He nodded before saying in a tight voice, "To display the Palaces good intentions for the Church, we insist you join us for dinner."

I was stuck wondering what was worse; going back to the Church and risking having to drink with Grisia or having dinner with the King? In the end it's not like I have a choice. Even if I am the Judgment Knight, I can't get away with everything. Denying at this point would be a snub.

"The strict God ofLight praises His Majesty's diligence," I said with a bow. _It took us so long to get here... Even if we leave right after dinner, we'll get back so late... sob._

He stood before dismissing himself, the guards opening and closing the doors after him with a deep bow. Metal instantly relaxed, but Kadence still seemed wound tight. It was understandable; She'd probably never _seen_ a Princess, let alone been in the same room as one.

"Yo," Metal said casually to the Princess, who grinned to herself as she played with her nails, "You seem as bored as ever."

"You seem as boring as ever," She replied and Kadence grinned to herself, obvious realizing that they were friends. The Princess stood, stretching slightly as she did so and taking care not to trip over her dress as she descended the steps and talked, "Sucks to be you. You probably won't get back to the palace until dark-"

She stopped when she noticed Kadence, her eyes going wide in surprise. If I wasn't mistaken- and my years as a Judgment Knight meant I probably _wasn't- _she looked slightly uneasy.

Metal jumped in immediately, introducing Kadence with a mock flourish, "This is Kadence, High Lady of the North."

"Hey," Kadence complained, pushing him slightly before turning to the Princess with a grin, "Nice to meet you."

The Princess nodded slowly, a smile lighting up her face similarly, "You too," The edges of her smile seemed forced and she asked in a cautious voice, "What brings you to the South?"

"A horse and these annoying fella's," She said jokingly as she gestured to us, "And because I wanted to see the festival."

"Oh," She said softly, nodding to herself in a relieved manner, "Is that so. Have you been to the Church?"

Kadence nodded, sending her ponytail swinging, "It's really cool. The people there seem really nice, and apparently tomorrow the devil is coming."

The Princess looked confused, making Metal laugh and interject, "Grisia is coming by. Judgment here has managed to convince her that he's a demon."

The Princess' eyes widened and she exclaimed, "He is?" I nodded sourly and her face turned worried. In a hesitant voice she said, "But aren't you going to be getting back very late? You'll be tired! Why not stay here the night and return tomorrow? I insist!"

"Are you sure?" Metal asked, looking shocked, "We don't want to cause any trouble..."

"Nonsense!" She said firmly, shaking her head and moving to leave, "I'll ask Uncle right away! We can't trouble you into coming this far without offering you lodging for the night."

With that she left, making me confused. Normally she had no problem with troubling us like this. Still, it _would_ be nice not to have to make the trip all the way back to the Church tonight.

We moved ourselves into one of the many sitting rooms and sat down on the plush couches. I checked the clock, glad to see we wouldn't have to wait long until we could get the formalities over and either go to bed or go home.

"She seems nice," Kadence commented, "Weird, but nice. Is it normal for her to be so friendly with you two?"

"Generally the Church and the Palace aren't on extremely friendly terms," Metal explained as he lounged back, "But she's a friend of a friend."

"I expected her to be posh," Kadence admitted.

Metal laughed loudly, "Far from it. You two will get along."

"That we will," The Princess said from the doorway as she walked in happily, "Uncle agreed; you're all staying the night. Judge and Metal; you'll be in the usual guest rooms. Kadence; you're coming with me," She grinned cheekily, "As lovely as that dress is, it isn't suitable for dinner. I'll find you something new, so let's go."

She didn't wait for an answer, dragging the shocked Kadence out hurriedly. I watched after them in amusement. _Finally, she's speechless._

We were sitting in the dining room in a tense silence, the King marking documents absently as he ate. Metal and I sat opposite each other, neither one of us eating. Even if it was well pass the acceptable time to begin eating, the other two hadn't arrived yet. I wouldn't mind eating without Kadence (Serves her right for being so slow) but we both knew better than to eat before royalty.

It was half an hour before they finally walked into the room, making me want to sigh in irritation. _Was there really that much of a need to dress up just for dinner?_

The Princess had her hair straight and hanging down to her waist, with very simple makeup and a plain red dress that whispered around her ankles. Kadence, however, looked like a doll. Her makeup was thick; with dark eyes, false lashes, red lips and blush. Her hair was curled and pinned with several sparkling adornments. The dress was long, bright blue and had jewels sewn in everywhere. I had to resist the urge to laugh at her indignant face as she sat down next to the Princess at the head of the table.

"What do you think?" The Princess said happily, face radiant.

"Very nice," Her Uncle mumbled without looking up. He gave an explosive sigh before standing, documents in hand, and bidding a good night.

The Princess rolled her eyes after him, shaking her head a bit, "What do _you_ two think?"

"Did you just skip the brushes and wipe the makeup on your face with your hands?" Metal commented idly as he began to eat.

Kadence blushed furiously before growling, "Careful there. It'd be a shame if my hand slipped and these knives went flying at you."

"You look great," He said in mock seriousness.

"Urgh. You're so annoying. I didn't even do this," She said as she pulled at the curls, "Anastasia did."

"Kadence," I said firmly, "You should call her by her title."

"To hell with titles," Anastasia said with a wicked grin, "Isn't that right, Little _Seriph_?"

I groaned, rubbing my eyes in a tired manner, "You told her, didn't you?" Kadence nodded happily and I glared at her, "You can't go around spreading those sorts of rumors."

"Aw," Anastasia said, pouting, "What happened to the kind little Seriph who couldn't cut a tomato?"

"Hey," I complained, looking at Kadence in exasperation, "We've been through this; you're the one who cuts tomato's wrong."

"Nobody will ever believe you," Kadence said mischievously, "Unless you prove it."

"Definitely not," I said sternly.

We were interrupted when somebody threw open the doors and a knight stumbled in, obviously out of breath.

"The harsh God of Light will punish negligence," I said coldly, not having to fake my annoyance.

"The-The Holy Temple s-sent a message," He stuttered, looking terrified, "R-Rebel groups are m-moving and-"

I stood, as did Metal. My face was serious as I nodded in my understanding grimly. If the Temple had gone to all the trouble of sending a runner to bother us, it was serious.

"Are we going straight away?" Kadence asked around a large mouthful of food.

"We'll have to," I said as I exchanged a worried look with Metal.

She nodded, standing and up before pausing and looking back to Anastasia questioningly, "Where are my clothes?"

"The maids have probably picked them up by now…" She said with a thoughtful look. Then she shrugged, a cheeky grin on her face, "Don't worry. Just wear that."

Kadence looked like she wanted to protest, but Metal grabbed her by the arm and we started to walk out hurriedly. Behind us Anastasia trailed.

"What are you doing?" I asked, feeling my suspicion grow at her cheeky look.

"Coming with you," She said simply, looking accomplished and… uneasy. I definitely wasn't imagining it.

"No you aren't," I said firmly.

She laughed condescendingly, "You think you can stop me?"

… _I'm the Judgment Knight, right? People should listen, right? So why does everybody I meet seem so annoyingly persistent._


	21. Chapter 20

When we arrived back at the temple everything was... normal. Absolutely normal. The Knights sauntered about, the guards greeted us and nothing seemed amiss.

"What the..." Metal mumbled to himself, looking around in confusion. I, however, maintained my usual angry face, albeit a little stiff at the edges.

"It couldn't be bad enough that they're trying to keep it a secret to maintain peace, could it?" I asked Metal with a worried voice. Both our faces were grim as we strode to the meeting rooms, two extra people in tow. Said people seemed to have no understanding or care for the situation we were in, instead talking animatedly about Kadence's hometown.

_Kadence is understandable, but Anastasia... I can't believe our future ruler has this little care for impending doom._

When we reached the meeting room I hastily pushed open the door and strode through before freezing, face twitching unintentionally. Behind me the conversation had even stopped. Because at the head of the table, looking vastly amused, was the devil himself.

"Long time no see, Little Judgment," He said in a happy voice, playing with his golden hair idly.

I had to avoid shivering in fear as I bowed politely before straightening, "We were informed there was a rebellion...?"

He shook his head, a big grin spreading over his face, "Nope! I was just saving you from the evil clutches of the King," He raised an eyebrow, "After all, it couldn't possibly be that you two chose to stay there _intentionally _to avoid me, right?"

I knew our faces betrayed it, but still tried to smooth it over, "Of course not. We wouldn't possibly have the audacity to avoid the former Sun Knight..."

"Maybe we should go," Anastasia said in quick, quiet tones as she tugged Kadence's arm, "We don't want to annoy them..."

Meanwhile a look of realization had hit Kadence. With wide eyes she pointed to the man, "Ah! Isn't that the devil man?"

_Are you trying to get me killed?! Sob!_

"Devil?" Grisia said indignantly, "Seriph you better not be off telling weird rumors again! Who is this anyway?"

"A friend from the North," Metal said calmly.

"Oh?" He stood and walked over to Kadence with a brilliant smile, "I'm Grisia Sun, former Sun Knight. Nice to meet you-"

He stopped talking, staring at her oddly. He then turned to look at Anastasia slowly, eyes wide. She glared back at him, fists and jaw clenched tightly. His gaze turned cold and he said in a detached voice, "I think you three had best get off to bed. I have something I need to talk about with the Princess."

I nodded quickly, grabbing Kadence's arm and leaving in a flurry of black robes. I kept walking for awhile after leaving the meeting room before letting go and slowing down, feeling my unease fade slightly.

"You weren't joking about Seriph not liking him," Kadence said in an amused voice to Metal, "Is it really okay to leave the Princess with him? He must be a monster."

"He's not that bad, really," Metal said reasonably, "Seriphs teacher was friends with him, so they spent a lot of time together. Plus he would never do anything to a Princess," He paused, looking thoughtful, "Probably not."

"If you had to spend that much time with him you'd dislike him too," I muttered bitterly as we turned the corner and entered the hall with our rooms, "I can't believe he sent a runner and faked a rebellion just to get us within range of him," I groaned, "I hope he doesn't want to drink with me again..."

"He's a drinker?" Kadence said, her interest immediately perked.

"Yeah," Metal said with a laugh, "But don't tell anybody. If it gets out that the former Sun Knight is a heavy drinker…"

He shook his head, looking amused. Meanwhile her face had turned confused, "Why?"

Metal looked at her oddly, "Well… Because he's the Sun Knight, even if he's retired…"

Her face was still blank, "And?"

I sighed, explaining in a quiet voice, "She doesn't seem to know anything about the Twelve Holy Knights."

"What?" He exclaimed, looking shocked, "There's no way she doesn't!"

"Hey, aren't you being a bit conceited?" She said as she rolled her eyes, "You guys don't seem _that_ great…"

"We should take her to see Cloud," Metal said in an exasperated tone, "Maybe he can find a book to explain it to her…"

"Who's Cloud?" She asked, looking ready to laugh, "That's such a weird name! Almost weirder than Metal!"

"Urgh," He groaned, looking pained, "They aren't _names_, stupid. They're titles. I can't believe you don't even know that… even two-year olds know the Twelve Holy Knights! I'm talking about the Cloud Knight!"

She looked even more confused, "Does he like reading or something?"

"He's the librarian," I said absently as we walked, trying not to let the pitying looks Kadence was receiving bug me. _If only they knew…_

"… I thought you said he was a knight?"

"He is," Metal said seriously, laughter in his eyes.

"I'm starting to think you were all chosen to be knights based on how odd you are," She said, shaking her head.

We entered the library, which was mostly empty. At the receptionist desk, wearing a small pair of spectacles and handing one of the Holy Knight's a book, was Cloud. His white, wispy hair fell loosely around him, finishing below the table. He was wearing his uniform, looking severely out of place.

"Cloud, You're looking as forgettable as always," Metal said as we approached, waving his greeting. Kadence stepped on his foot, making him cry out indignantly, "What was that for?!"

"You shouldn't be so rude all the time," She complained, standing at the desk and looking at Cloud somewhat angrily, "And you shouldn't let him bully you!"

Clouds was confused, looking between us slowly. Kadence and Metal had begun to bicker quietly, so I explained in a hushed voice, "Sorry. She's…" _How do I explain her? That would take forever…_ "Just ignore her. We're looking for a book on the Twelve Holy Knights for her to read. Do you happen to know…?"

He had already disappeared, reappearing in a moment with a thick book. He still looked confused, but said in a helpful voice, "There are illustrations inside as well. Do you need anything else?"

I shook my head, resisting the urge to smile in thanks. Instead I turned to back to Kadence and Metal. Kadence looked away huffily with a pout, while Metal looked wronged. It took all the control I had not to roll my eyes at the two.

"Here," I said in my usual cold voice, handing the book to Kadence. She accepted it, shifting its weight and looked discouraged.

"What? Don't read much?" Metal said in a sarcastic voice, rolling his eyes. I expected her to knee him in the stomach, but instead she blushed faintly.

"Shut up," She muttered angrily, face suddenly determined, "I can read it perfectly fine."

She turned huffily and left, her blonde hair trailing out behind her. Metal was looking shocked and a little guilty, while I had managed to maintain my face in its stoic mask.

"What was that about?" He said, sounding slightly annoyed, "What did I say?"

I didn't answer, merely shrugged and left quietly. He remained in place, obviously torn. I ignored it as I strode out to Kadence's rooms, where I knew she would be. After all, it was the only place within the Temple she really knew. The door opened easily, making my eyebrows raise slightly.

_Don't just leave your door unlocked. Geez._

She sat inside on the bed and I entered, though she didn't look up. She had her legs crossed and the book opened in front of her, a large frown pulling down her eyebrows. I closed the door behind me and she looked up.

"You should apologize to Metal," I said softly, "It's his job to be rude. And I doubt he meant you any offense."

"Hmph," She looked back to the book, irritated, "He can do whatever he wants to."

"Why are you being so stubborn?" I demanded, feeling annoyed, "You can forgive me for torturing people, but you can't forgive him for a few insults?"

It was quiet for a few moments before she seemed to lose the wind in her sails, deflating slightly.

"I can't read," She muttered, pulling her head closer to the book. Her hair fell down, blocking my view of her face.

"What?" I asked, stupefied.

"I CAN'T READ!" She shouted, slamming the book shut and tossing it onto the end of the bed. She hugged her legs, burying her face in his knees.

_Oh._

I walked to the bed and sat beside her, saying in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"It's not your fault," She growled softly, "You're too nice!" She sighed, sounding sad, "It's not even that important. I think I must have learnt once…" Her voice steadily became quieter, "I just forgot…"

"I can read for you, if you want?" I offered, picking up the book and turning to the first page idly. It was packed with words and illustrations, all on quite high-quality paper. The binding was leather and obviously expensive.

"No," She said, looking up and resting her chin on her knees to look at me with big, blue eyes, "You explain it."

And so I did. I explained the beginning of the Twelve Holy Knights, their expected personalities, their roles and why they were so important. She listened quietly, eyes on the book the whole time. When I finished she looked at me sadly, "Isn't that too cruel? To expect you to be somebody else?"

"You've heard why we need to," I said with a small smile, flipping through the illustrations until I landed on one of this generation. It had been drawn when we were still in-training, and all Twelve of us were lined up formally. I showed it to her, "We all chose this. It's not so bad. Everybody is really close…"

_Well, I'm not… But still._

"Aw!" She exclaimed, pointing to me in the picture with a smile, "You look so young! So does Metal! And isn't this that Cloud guy?" Her eyes widened, "It's the drinking man! The red guy!"

I laughed, nodding, "His name is Jayden Blaze. He's pretty much the embodiment of the Blaze Knight."

"Who's that shiny person?" She asked, pointing to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy in the picture.

My chest clenched tightly and I said in a quiet voice, "That's Caelan Sun."

"Oh," She seemed to realize her mistake, her face turning regretful immediately, "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay," I said, smiling in what I hoped was a reassuring manner before handing her the book, "It's late, I should probably head off. You should look at the illustrations. Generations of artist's drawing of the Twelve Holy Knights are in there. They might help you get a better idea of what we do."

She nodded silently, still observing the picture of the Twelve Holy Knights of this generation. I left quickly, rubbing my eyes tiredly before retiring to my room. Sleep found me quickly and I drifted off into the blackness, too tired for nightmares.

It wasn't long before I was awoken by a scream.

A very _feminine_ scream.

I leapt out of my bed, grabbing my sword and black robe, tugging them on as I sprinted out of my room and in the direction of the scream; Kadence's room. When I arrived Metal, Blaze and Ice were standing in front of the door, calling out in worried voices and knocking loudly. I pushed them aside grimly before kicking the door down heavily, storming into the room with my weapon unsheathed.

When I arrived Kadence looked terrified, her mouth held tightly by a black figure. With one look I could tell it was a man; his build was that of a knight. He was wrapped in black from head to toe, two daggers sheathed at his waist. When he saw us he let go of Kadence, standing in front of her and unsheathing his daggers quickly.

In a rough voice he snapped, "Run, I'll hold them off."

I held my sword up, pointing it at him and saying in a cold voice, "The harsh God of Light will punish those who trample throughout his domain."

_And I'll punish you for whatever the hell you were about to do._

"Go!" He snapped, looking back at Kadence briefly, "Quickly! We don't have time to dawdle!"

Suddenly she threw herself at him in a mass of flowing blonde hair, making my heart skip a beat. I stepped forward, aiming to strike him through with my sword before he could harm, or kill, her.

_I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR STUPID ENOUGH TO TRY AND FIGHT SOMEBODY WHO'S ARMED WITHOUT ANY WEAPONS! STUPID!_

My attack stopped suddenly as she yelled out happily, "Brother!"

* * *

_**Aw. Kadence can't read. Or cut tomatoes. .**_

_**I hope you enjoy reading! It's finally the weekend. Sob.**_

_**Thanks for all the reviews. ^u^ The story is reaching an interesting part... Mwuahaha.**_


	22. Chapter 21

"Kadence, what are you doing?!" The masked figure exclaimed, almost toppling over. His arms were held out in an awkward attempt not to get his daggers near her.

"You scared me, damn it!" She snapped, pouting, "What are you doing anyway?"

"Wendy told me you were kidnapped-" He started, sounding confused.

"Put down your weapons," I said immediately in an irritated tone, sheathing my own and running a hand through my hair.

_That Wendy woman is a pain in the ass._

"Kidnapped?" She snorted, stepping back and crossing her arms, "As if I would get kidnapped."

"B-But she said that you were taken away by knights..."

I raised an eyebrow, saying in an exasperated voice, "She insisted that she came with us. We didn't have much choice in the matter."

"But what about that Judgment guy...?" He sounded lost, sheathing his daggers.

"This is him!" Kadence said happily, gesturing to me, "He's my new friend! His name is Seriph!"

"Oh," He sounded embarrassed, idly fidgeting, "I-I'm sorry I thought..."

"It's fine," I said with a sigh, feeling tired.

"You didn't mention your brother was an assassin," Metal said slowly, making me realize the same. I looked between the two of them in shock.

"If my brother were an assassin, don't you think my house would be fancier?" She said, rolling her eyes and grabbing her brothers arm, "He's a jack of all trades. He does all sorts of stuff."

"What happened?!" Anastasias voice shouted, accompanied by light footsteps. In a second she appeared in the doorway, still dressed in her white nightgown, and breathing heavily. I could tell she had run all the way here. Her eyes widened at the sight before her and she squeaked out, "Who is that?!"

"Dont worry!" Kadence said, laughing, "This is my brother. Bro, this is Seriph the Judgment Knight, Metal the Metal Knight and Anastasia the Princess."

"I told you," Metal complained, "It's my title, not my name!"

"Seriph, is it okay if brother stays too?" Kadence asked pleadingly. Beside my I felt Anastasia stiffen, and turned to her slightly in confusion.

"Absolutely not," A voice sounded from behind me. I saw Anastasia relax out of the corner of my eye, my confusion doubling. Grisia walked in, face stern, "The Temple isn't an inn."

"Oh," Kadence mumbled, looking crestfallen, "Right. Sorry..."

"You should both go back to the North immediately," He continued seriously, "You have people worrying for you."

"What?" Kadence said in shock, eyes wide, "Straight away?! But we only just got here and-"

"It's for the best," He said grimly.

"Grisia," I said in a confused voice, "Why can't they stay for a day or two? The festivities have started and he's probably tired-"

"Seriph," Grisia snapped, turning to look at me with annoyed eyes, "Don't forget who I am. They'll leave as soon as possible."

"You're the _former_ Sun Knight," I snapped, losing my patience, "Don't forget who _I_ am. I'm the Judgment Knight; you have no authority over me."

"I believe I do, however," Anastasias soft voice sounded beside me. I turned to look at her in shock. Despite only wearing her nightgown she looked regal, her head held high and her hands poised elegantly in front of herself, "You are to listen to the former Sun Knight. That is an order from your monarch."

"Anastasia," Metal exclaimed, reminding me of his presence, "What's this all about?! Why are you two being so rude?"

"It's okay," Kadence said quietly. She was twisting her dress awkwardly, eyes downcast, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was being such a bother. We'll leave right away."

"Good," Grisia said, turning to leave.

"Hey!" Her brother suddenly yelled angrily, "I don't know what my sister has done, but don't you think you're being a bit too rude?! I don't care who you are, nobody talks to her like that!"

"Brother," She said, tugging at his sleeve and shaking her head, "Don't."

She turned, walking to the bed where a book laid on the ground, open. She picked it up carefully, closing it and handing it to me with a pained smile, "Would you mind returning this to Cloud Knight for me? Tell him I'm grateful."

I took it, at a loss of what to do. Next she walked over to Metal, punching his shoulder and saying, "Be nicer to people. Buttface. Thanks for bringing me here," She smiled, "It was fun."

"You shouldn't have to go," He said in an angry voice, "Don't listen to them."

"It's okay!" She said in a bright voice, "I miss the snow anyway! It's a bit too warm here."

"I'll leave the transportation arrangements to you," Grisia said to Anastasia. I glared at him as he left, too angry to worry about retribution. Then I turned to Anastasia angrily.

"What game are you two playing at?" I snapped.

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, not turning to look as she said in a regal voice, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"You two can't stand each other. So what is it that has the two of you working together?!" I growled, suspicious. They were hiding something. I could tell it.

"Judgment Knight," Anastasia said coldly, turning to look at me with fierce eyes, "Don't pry into this."

"Alright!" Kadence interrupted our argument as she pulled her brother out of the room by his hand, "Let's go! I bet Wendy is worried. We should buy her a souvenir on the way out..."

"We'll go with you to send to off," I said quietly, following them without waiting for permission and flicking my hood up, tucking my long black hair into it, "The festival is still on."

"No you aren't," Anastasia snapped.

"I'm afraid this one goes over your head," Metal said with a lopsided grin, "We couldn't _possibly_ let the Princess walk through the festival without an escort! Especially after the King scolded us for the abundance of criminals. I'm afraid it's too dangerous, _Your Highness_."

She looked furious but I only glanced at her coldly.

_I'm going to find out what they're hiding._

"Are you okay?" Her brother asked softly. Beneath the mask his eyes were visible, a startling blue. They were filled with worry as he rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Mhm," She murmured, her brow furrowed, "I just feel like I had something to do. I can't remember what it is… Ah!" Realization hit her and she turned to me quickly, "Jean! You'll take care of him, Right?"

I nodded solemnly.

"Who's Jean?" Her brother asked curiously.

"A kid these two rescued off the streets," Metal said, adjusting his hood as we walked.

"Oh," He murmured, looking at me with a confused face. Metal and Kadence began to talk about the journey back, walking to stand near the open window. Anastasia disappeared into her room. Her brother stopped and stood with me, "What… What happened?"

"We were sent up North to capture a necromancer," I explained quietly as we stood in the hall, waiting for Anastasia to get changed, "A few things happened and she insisted on coming back with us."

"Has she caused any trouble?" He asked worriedly. I shook my head and he asked in confusion, "Then why do they seem so intent on us leaving the city?"

"I'd like to know that too," I said quietly, watching Kadence in worry, "And I intend to find out."

"You don't really seem like how Wendy described you," He admitted, looking embarrassed, "I'd pictured you dripping in blood and looking sinister…"

That reminded me of something, and I asked softly, "Why doesn't she know how to write? Or anything about the Twelve Holy Knights?"

"We were raised in an isolated area," He explained, looking at Kadence with a sigh, "We only moved to that town recently. I was hoping it would help her…"

"Help her do what?" I asked curiously.

"Be more," He paused, frowning, "Like herself, I suppose. She seems uneasy all the time. It's not like her."

"Hi there," A voice sounded down the hallway. I turned and saw a figure hooded in red walking to us, her head down and only her scarlet lips showing as she murmured in a lilting voice, "You have no idea how hard it was to sneak past the guards and find you," She raised one delicate, caramel hand and pulled back the hood slightly to look at me as she walked to stand in front us, "I have something I needed to talk to you about."

The two by the window didn't even turn to look, obviously in their own world as they talked.

My eyes widened in recognition. It was the fortuneteller. Her curled brown hair peaked out of the conspicuous cloak, her bright gold eyes staring at me seriously. _She managed to sneak past the guards?! Even wearing all that bright red?!_

"You-" I started, unsure of whether or not she was a threat.

"Aunty?" The brothers voice sounded confused and I turned to stare at him in shock. His eyes were wide beneath the mask and he bent down to get a closer look at her.

"Child," She smiled, flashing white teeth, "Do you know how long I've been looking for you? Silly thing."

"I can't believe it's you," He looked excited, turning to walk to Kadence, "Ka-"

The woman grabbed his arm, shaking her head and laughing, "Don't bother. More importantly," Her smile dropped and her face became serious, "Are you two leaving?"

He nodded, looking confused, "Sorry. I would have loved to catch up with you, but we're being asked to-"

"No," She snapped, looking angry and worried, "You two stay. You have to. She came because-" She stopped, looking at war with herself before she looked away sharply, "Stay."

"Who's this?" Kadence asked, both her and Metal now looking back at us. Her eyes widened and she pointed at her Aunt angrily, "Ah! The fake fortune teller!"

_What? Doesn't she recognize her?_

"Kadence," Her brother reprimanded seriously, "You shouldn't talk to Aunty like that."

"Who?" Kadence looked confused and she walked to stand next to him.

"It doesn't matter," Her aunt said, avoiding her stare, "You two will stay within the city."

"No they aren't," Anastasia said, pushing open the door. She was wearing a plain grey dress, a black robe fastened around her shoulders. Her hair was tucked in the robe, away from her face as she glared at the woman, "Who are you?"

The woman groaned, looking angry, "Of course it had to be you," Anastasia looked shocked as the woman strode to stand toe to toe with her, looking intimidating as she growled, "They're staying."

"Hey!" Kadence snapped, pushing the woman away, "Who the hell are you?!"

"It's Aunty," Her brother said in a confused voice, "Why are you both acting so odd?"

There was a tense silence and I watched the odd scene, suspicious.

"A friend of your parents," The woman finally said softly, her face pleading as she said, "You both have to stay in the city. It's important-"

"No," Anastasia said firmly, standing in-between the woman and Kadence, "They have to leave. I made a promise."

"And so did I," the woman snapped harshly, "Don't meddle in things you have no knowledge of, ignorant little girl. Do you know how long I've been looking for them both? I came tonight to live up to my promise, and I still intend to."

"She doesn't even know you," Anastasia said coldly, eyes like ice, "You're a nuisance."

The woman smiled mockingly, "She doesn't know you either, does she?"

Anastasia looked like she had been punched in the gut, gritting her teeth tightly and snapping, "Which is why she needs to leave now."

She didn't wait for a reply, grabbing Kadence's arm and beginning to drag her down the hall.

"She wants to remember," The woman called out suddenly, all trace of mockery gone. Her gold eyes were trained on Anastasia steadily, her stance stuff.

Anastasia stopped before saying in a harsh voice, "You're lying."

"She's screaming in there. You're being selfish," The womans voice was cold.

"What are you two talking about?" Kadence suddenly yelled, shrugging Anastasia's hand off and turning to glare at the two of them, "What is it you're keeping from me?! Why do I have to leave or stay?!"

"Kadence calm down," I said softly. Around her feet ice had begun to snake, wind dancing around her quietly.

"No!" She snapped suddenly, face determined, "Everybody is hiding something! I need to-" She stopped, face suddenly confused, "I need…"

She shook her head, looking torn. Her brother rested a hand on her shoulder, looking down at her in worry.

"See?" The woman said smugly.

"One of you tell me what's happening," I said, eyes dangerous.

The woman laughed, shaking her head, "I don't listen to your people, _Little Judgment Knight_."

"If neither of you are going to listen to me," I growled, turning and striding away, "I'm going to find the person who has to."

"I'm coming with you," Kadence said angrily, glaring at Anastasia and the woman as she strode after me, "Who is it?"

"Grisia," I replied.

* * *

**_It's hard not just jumping ahead with the plot line. . So what do you think so far? :3_**

I love reading your reviews~! ^u^ 


	23. Chapter 22

By the time we had reached Grisias door I had lost some of the wind in my sails, apprehension rising as I realized what I was about to do_._

_I can't just throw open the door... He'll definitely kill me. Actually he might kill me just for going against his wishes. Argh! Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't it have been the previous Leaf Knight... Even the previous Earth Knight would have been better!_

Kadence watched me as I argued against myself, locked in inner turmoil. Her expression slowly became annoyed before she shouted, "Ah fine! You're such a girl!"

Before I could react she turned to the door and, with more force than was necessary, blasted open the door using wind magic. I stared into the open room as the loud 'bang' of the door hitting the wall sounded, making me want to run and hide.

_I'm dead. So dead. We're all so dead. He's going to be furious. _

On the contrary, there was no movement within the room. I entered cautiously, waiting for a ball of magic to come flying and knock me off my feet. When nothing happened I calmed slightly, taking in the situation slowly.

The room was almost bare, with only some bags sitting on the table. I noticed immediately that holy light was radiating from one of the more oblong bags, no doubt the Divine Sun Sword. He had never been able to give it to his student. To one side of the room sat the bed, atop it a mass of blankets. With a start I realized that mass of blankets was human-shaped.

"No way," Metal muttered, sounding impressed, "I'll give him that. He takes his sleep seriously."

_Which is why he's going to double kill us if we wake him._

"Maybe we should ask tomorrow," I said uneasily, resisting the urge to just dash out of the room.

Kadence ignored me, walking to stand near the bed. She leant forward and grabbed the ends of the blankets ,yanking them until they fell off and revealing Grisia in his pyjamas. When he still didn't wake I could see the obvious irritation on her face. She gestured her hand to the large glass of water on the table and levitated it until it floated in front of his head. It stayed for a moment, chill radiating as she used the ice element to make it cold. Then she dropped it straight onto his face.

He spluttered, coughing slightly before turning to her. In an angry voice he snapped, "Damnit, I've told you to stop waking me up like that Cae-" He stopped, frozen with his head raised and staring at Kadence, "You..."

"I don't know who you are but you better tell me what you're hiding, bastard!" She shouted, putting her hands on her hips and looking defiant, "You three keep talking about stuff I don't understand and it's pissing me off!"

Her brother stifled laughter beside me. Metal had a similar reaction, albeit less obvious.

"Don't you dare," Anastasia said angrily, glaring at Grisia.

"So you know too," The woman's lilting voice drifted through, sounding cold. Grisias gaze turned to her, then back to Kadence in confusion. The woman rolled her eyes, "A friend of the family. Just do as she asks."

"You're supposed to be gone," he said slowly, blinking, "What are you doing here?"

_He seems surprisingly civil... Is that a good sign, or a bad sign?_

"I told you already, you shiny bastard," She growled, summoning ice element to her hand, "You better tell me what I want to know or I'll freeze you to death."

I buried my face in my hand, feeling remorseful. _Dear God of Light, please let our ending be swift and painless, Let my platoon remember to water my plants, Let little Jean adapt well to his new life, let..._

As I recited my will into a prayer silence fell. It was a few seconds before Grisia said quietly, "Calm down. We don't mean any harm."

I dropped my hand, staring at him in surprise. For one of his brothers, I could understand this behavior. For a complete stranger...

"It's not that we mean to hide anything..." He looked torn, staring away from her with a pained expression, "Well, we do but... This is so hard to explain."

"Then don't explain it," Anastasia said, looking pleading, "Just don't. You said-"

"That I would respect her wishes," He interrupted softly, "What do you think her wishes are at this stage?"

"The only reason she asks is because she doesn't know," Anastasia insisted pleadingly, almost on the bridge of tears.

"No it isn't," The woman's lilting voice said loudly. She had her narrow eyes set on Grisia as she said, "She deserves the truth. But I can't give it to her. I don't know how."

"Will you stop talking about things I don't know already?!" Kadence shouted. Her teeth were clenched tightly, her eyes angry as she turned to Grisia, "You're the one who knows, right?! Tell me! Why am I here?!"

"Kadence," Her brother said softly, "Calm yourself. It's okay."

"It's not," She said, sounding surprisingly vulnerable, "I don't get it. I don't get any of it."

"I'm going to tell her," Grisia said slowly, looking at Anastasia apologetically, "It needs to be done. If she decides afterwards that this isn't-" His eyes looked pained, "That this isn't what she wants, then we can turn it back again."

"I don't want to," Anastasia whispered, looking like a child, "She shouldn't have to."

"She wants to," The lilting voice said softly. It had a mixture of sympathy and empathy as she looked down on the girl, her eyes kind, "You're her friend. She will understand."

"Please," Kadence walked towards Anastasia, "I don't know what it is, but please."

Anastasias' face was pained. She looked away and nodded. Grisia sighed and stood, running a hand through his hair.

"Let me get changed first," He said, grabbing one of the bags and taking it to the bathroom.

"Well that was…" Metals eyes were wide as he stared at the bathroom, "Wow. I can't believe he actually _listened_."

"You two should leave," Anastasia said, still not looking at us.

"Like hell," Metal snapped, "Stop trying to hide things from us."

"Actually," The woman said, walking to the bed and sitting on its' edge, "You _should_ leave. Child, come here," She gestured to Kadence, who looked unsure. In the end she did as she was asked, albeit slowly. The woman reached forward, laying her hands on Kadences shoulders and smiling softly, "You look just like your mother."

"Aunty," Her brother said, moving to sit next to her, "What's happening? Why are you here? Last time I saw you, you were in…" He trailed off, frowning.

"It's not something so easily explained," She said quietly, "If I could, I would."

"Can you really see the future?" Kadence suddenly asked.

She laughed, "I thought I told you; You don't have a future without a past," She paused, biting her lip, "But… If you want to," She looked to the brother, "I never took back my offer. You could both come live with me."

Kadences looked confused, "Just who are you? You said you were a friend of our parents, but I don't remember you."

"Aiya," The woman scolded, flicking a surprised Kadence between the eyes, "You always ask too many questions. Patience, child," She looked thoughtful, "Though I doubt you would remember me either way. You were quite young…" She trailed off before grinning, "Little bird."

Her brother laughed softly, "I remember that."

"What?" Kadence looked wronged, "What's Little Bird?"

"Your nickname," The woman said with a cheeky smile, "You use to hate it. You use to complain 'I'm not little'," The woman sighed softly, "Though I suppose that's fitting now. You've gotten all big without me even noticing!"

"You aren't the only one who didn't notice," Grisia said wryly from the bathroom door. He was dressed in plain pair of pants and a white top, with a black coat over the top. He then looked to Metal and I, face serious as he said, "Get out."

"No," I said firmly, crossing my arms stubbornly.

He raised one dangerous eyebrow, eyes narrow, "That wasn't a request. Leave."

"Let them stay," Kadence said quietly. She looked determined, but I could see her hands shaking slightly.

"Be it on your head," He said, shaking his head with a sigh.

"They really should leave…" Anastasia said, biting her lip.

"If you can convince her, be my guest," He replied wryly.

"… Point taken," She said.

"You two have to promise," The woman said gravely, her golden eyes focused on us, "You don't interfere, you don't overreact. If you do I won't hesitate to attack you," We nodded solemnly. Grisia gestured for Kadence and her brother to sit on the bed, and they both did so without complaint. The woman stood, moving to lean against the wall and watch them with worried eyes. In a low voice she said, "You better fix them."

He nodded, holding out his hands. They both hesitantly put their hands in his, looking confused. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. A few moments passed and he swore, "Of course it was Pink. I'm going to kill that corpse…" He trailed off, frowning to himself before saying in an unsure voice, "This might hurt a bit. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes," Kadence said, looking determined.

Her brother looked at her with a sigh, then back at Grisia, "If she will, I will."

"Okay," He said, frowning more. Slowly he began to radiate Holy Light, growing stronger until it all but filled the room. I squinted, my sight blocked by the wall of golden light. It faded gradually, revealing an almost identical scene. Except…

"Your hair went white!" Metal exclaimed, point at Grisia and looking shocked.

"Shut up," He grumbled. His eyes were open and he was frowning. Something seemed off, but I couldn't tell what.

Kadence blinked slowly, looking at her hands. Anastasia walked forward hesitantly, face unsure as she whispered, "Is it you?" Kadence looked up slowly, face blossoming into a brilliant smile. Tears overflowed from Anastasias eyes and she threw herself onto Kadence, making them both topple onto the bed. Anastasia sobbed loudly, holding onto Kadence tightly and shaking as she said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I couldn't help you…"

"Shh," Kadence murmured, patting Anastasia's back. My eyes widened at the sight. There was something different about them. Kadence detached Anastasia gently before standing, looking at Grisia with a serious face. Then she surprised me further by bowing deeply. In a shaking voice that was both hers and not hers she said, "I-I'm… That is… I'm sorry."

"Don't be," He said softly, smile sad as he cupped a hand under her chin, raising her face, "I'm sorry for waking you. Do you want to," He looked torn, "Go back?"

"No," She said softly. She turned to her brother, who sighed but nodded. Then she turned back to Grisia, face solemn, "I'm staying. I've been away too long already."

He turned to the table, reaching forward. Then he drew out the Divine Sword, its' sheath to perfection. He turned to her, hands on its hilt and sheath, holding it out for her solemnly, "Are you sure about this?" She reached forward, hands curling around the sword as she nodded. His face was soft as he murmured, "You don't know how many times I've wished for this moment. Welcome home."

"What are you doing?" Metal demanded, looking at the sword in Kadences hands in confusion, "What is this all about?!"

Kadence didn't answer, pulling the sword from its' sheath. The metal whispered as she drew it, staring at the blade with soft eyes. She reached backwards, grabbing her hair. Then, in one swift motion, she drew the sword through her long hair.

Golden locks fell to the ground slowly amidst our confused exclamations. She turned to us, jagged hair swinging just about her shoulders. Tears streamed from her bright blue eyes as she whispered, "It's been awhile."

"Who are you?" I asked quietly while I frowned in confusion. _A girl from a small town in the North shouldn't be acquainted with the Princess and former Sun Knight._

"You…" Metal stepped forward, eyes disbelieving and face pained, "That can't…"

"Hey Ryder," She said softly. She had a small smile on her face. A familiar smile. In a forced voice she continued, "Don't tell me you've forgotten me."

His eyes were wide, mouthing words silently with trembling lips. Finally he managed to choke out, "Caelan?"

* * *

**_Is it weird that I'm actually angry at Caelan at the moment? I can't even explain it. _**

**_I hope you enjoyed the chapter! From here on it's Caelan/Kadences PoV. Your reviews are all so nice. :3 Thankyou all for reading._**


	24. Chapter 23

It's hard to explain what remembering felt like. The years as Kadence didn't disappear. But now I remembered. Remembered that my name was not Kadence, but Caelan. Remembered that I was not born in the North, but in the South. Remembered why I had wanted to forget.

"Is it you?" I looked up and saw Anastasia walking towards me slowly. _My friend._ I smiled, relieved to remember again. Next thing I knew I had toppled onto the bed, Anastasia sobbing as she held me tightly and choked out apologies.

"Shh," I murmured, patting her back. The bright white of teachers hair moved in my peripheral vision and I gently detached Anastasia and stood. _I tricked him into thinking I was dead. All these years. _I bowed deeply, too ashamed to show my face. _He took me in and cared for me. I lied._

"I-I... That is... I'm sorry."

"Don't be," He said softly, smile sad as he cupped a hand under my chin, raising my head, "I'm sorry for waking you. Do you want to," He looked torn, "Go back?"

"No," I said softly. I turned to my brother, who sighed but nodded. Then I turned back to teacher, face solemn, "I'm staying. I've been away too long already."

_And I will never leave again. _

Teacher turned to the table, reaching forward. Then he drew out the Divine Sword, its' sheath shined to perfection. He turned back to me, hands on its hilt and sheath, holding it out for me solemnly, "Are you sure about this?" I reached forward, hands curling around the sword as I nodded. His face was soft as he murmured, "You don't know how many times I've wished for this moment. Welcome home."

"What are you doing?" Metal demanded, looking at the sword in my hands in confusion, "What is this all about?!"

_Changing my fate. Goodbye, Kadence._

I didn't answer, pulling the sword from its' sheath. The metal whispered as I drew it. I stared at the reflection in the blade. It was like staring at another person. I reached backwards, feeling my soft golden hair under my fingers. I placed the sword under it, pulling back the sword in one swift motion and cutting it short.

I heard surprised exclamations and turned to them. Ryder and Seriph stood, looking confused and worried. My chest ached at the sight of them.

_Do I really have any right to just return like this? How can I explain what I did? _

Tears streamed from my eyes as I whispered, "It's been awhile."

"Who are you?" Seriph asked quietly while he frowned in confusion.

"You…" Ryder stepped forward, eyes disbelieving and face pained, "That can't…"

"Hey Ryder," I said softly. I couldn't help the small smile that came with the sight of my best friend again. In a forced voice I continued, "Don't tell me you've forgotten me."

His eyes were wide, mouthing words silently with trembling lips. Finally he managed to choke out, "Caelan?"

_Dont look so sad. I'm sorry. _

"Metal," Seriph said, sounding angry, "Dont be ridiculous."

"Do you need a moment?" Brother asked quietly, moving to stand next to me. Part of me wanted to have him stay, to not have to face it alone.

"I knew we should have made them leave," Anastasia said softly. Her eyes were full of pity as she avoided their angry gazes.

"I can explain," I said slowly, despite having no idea how to explain.

"Take off your mask," Teacher said to brother. He had his back facing us. Brother did as he was asked, removing the black mask and throwing it onto the bed. Teacher continued in a grave voice, "Do you believe us now, Little Judgment?"

It took a moment for me to understand. _That's right. Seriph met brother before..._

"That's impossible," Seriph whispered.

"No it isn't," Anstasia got off of the bed and stood near me.

"I'm sorry," I said to them, "I didn't mean to deceive you, I just-"

Suddenly somebody punched me, sending me staggering backward. Angry exclamations followed and I raised my hand to my bleeding lip, wiping the blood away slightly before I looked up. In front of me stood Ryder, his face contorted in rage and his fists clenched tightly.

"You bastard," He shouted angrily, "You absolute bastard."

Anastasia threw herself in front of me, arms spread wide as she yelled back, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"You were dead!" He continued shouting, angry eyes still trained on me. Then his face seemed to lose some of its fierceness, tears replacing anger as he said behind clenched teeth, "You died right in front of me."

"I had to," I said, pushing Anastasia to the side gently. She still looked like she wanted to use herself as a human shield, but I ignored it. Instead I stepped towards Ryder, head bowed, "I'm willing to accept any kind of punishment. I deserted the Twelve Holy Knights, and I can never express how sorry I am."

"I hate you," He said. In that moment my whole world stopped. I had expected it, but it still made me feel like I had searing iron pressed against my chest. Then he wrapped his arms around me tightly, just about crushing me. I felt tears drop onto my shoulder and I hugged him back, surprised to find he was wider than he used to be, "Why did you do it?"

His voice broke my heart. _How would I have felt if it had been him? The same. _I could hear it in his voice. Years of misery. Years of thinking his best friend had died.

"It wasn't safe," I whispered, feeling years of regret pile onto my shoulders, "We needed to disappear for awhile. To be somebody else."

"We could have kept you safe," His voice was filled with pain, "You could have at least told us..."

"You would have stopped me," I said quietly, detaching his hands and looking him in the eye, "I did what I thought I had to. I'll regret it for the rest of my life, but I can't change it."

He raised his hands to his face, wiping away the tears and breathing deeply, "As punishment for abandoning the Twelve Holy Knights," He paused and my mind ran through every horrible scenario, "You have to live out your days until retirement as the Sun Knight. Understood?"

I nodded, a smile blossoming.

"Which reminds me," He said suddenly, looking confused, "You have breasts. That's new."

My eye twitched and I punched him square in the stomach, making him double over. Anastasia had begun laughing, clutching her sides in a very un-princess-like fashion. Even teacher chuckled under his breath. Only Brother and 'Aunty' didn't, instead examining the sharpness of their weapons. I looked around the room in confusion, realizing Seriph was no longer there.

"He left awhile ago," Teacher said quietly, face serious again, "You're going to have to explain it to them. All of them."

"I don't know how," I said, looking at my hands and twisting them. It was a habit I had formed as Kadence.

"I'll help you," Anastasia offered at the same time as Metal. They exchanged a wry look.

"Then," I looked at Ryder, quickly mapping out my next plan of action, "Call a meeting for me. Don't reveal anything yet. I think it's better if I explain it personally..."

He nodded and left quickly. When he was gone I turned to Teacher, "Are any of my clothes still in my room?"

"Yes. And the Sun Knight uniform. I doubt it will fit you properly though," He said softly.

"Anastasia, would you go get me the uniform?" She nodded seriously before leaving, her brown hair swishing out behind her.

"And I," The lilting voice of my 'Aunt' called out, "Will fix your hair."

I looked at her suspiciously, "I still don't remember you. How do I know you aren't an enemy?"

"She really is a friend of our parents," Brother said softly, "She was also an agent with the God of Chaos. Bt she was always very kind to me."

"Why are you helping me?" I stared her down, "I'm the next... I'm the Sun Knight."

"The only reason I worked with them was to keep an eye on you two," She sighed, sitting down on the bed and gesturing for me to sit in front of her. I did, not dropping my guard. She began to run her hands through my hair swiftly, and I heard the quiet sound of my hair being cut. She continued in a soft voice, "Your parents were very close friends of mine. When they died I was suspicious, but I had no proof. So I watched over your brother. Until I found you," She laughed quietly, "It was so unexpected, but I knew right away. You look just like them. I arranged for you two to cross paths," Her voice turned wry, "But somehow that ended in you skewering each other. After that everything happened so fast... But I knew you weren't dead. When I found you two you were living in a small village," She snorted, "You didn't even remember yourselves. So I informed the Church there was a Necromancer in your town," My eyes widened, "And I left for warmer air. I thought it would be as easy as that, but I was wrong. Tcht. Blind bastards. I was suspicious when word of your arrival didn't reach, and then you came storming into my tent with the little Judgment Knight. That's when I knew you _still_ didn't remember," She flicked the back of my head, "Silly child. Done."

I stood, running my hand through my hair. It was short now, maybe only an inch long all around. Except for my fringe, which brushed my eyebrows.

_I am Caelan Avick. I am the Sun Knight._

Anastasia arrived promptly, carrying the Sun Knight uniform carefully. I quickly donned it, realizing it fit quite well. The waist was a little loose, but I didn't dare mention that in front of Teacher. He had always gotten so huffy whenever Lesus scolded him about his waistline.

"Are you ready to do this?" Teacher asked quietly, eyes worried,

"Not at all," I replied honestly, running a hand through my hair again, "But I doubt I'll ever be. Brother, you stay here with Aunty. You too, Anastasia."

They looked like they were about to protest but I silenced them sternly, "I need to do this by myself. Please."

They agreed, reluctantly. Teacher was the only one who accompanied me, looking stubborn.

As we walked down the halls, to the meeting room, I couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you seem angry at me?"

He sighed, "I don't begrudge you wanting to have a different life. I tried to give you the opportunity multiple times. Like in the torture chamber with your brother," He shot me a wry look, "You don't honestly think I would risk my reputation for nothing, do you? Or that the Judgment Complex just _happened_ to be empty of any guards that night?"

I nodded slowly, realization dawning. He continued in a pained voice, "I wish you had taken one of the other ways out. That you had let us know. But I understand; You wanted to keep them safe as well. I've done the same for my brothers. But child," He looked at me seriously as we stopped in front of the meeting rooms' doors, "From now on you are to rely on them. Let them know what is happening. Don't make the same mistakes I did."

"I understand," I said quietly. He nodded and pushed open the door, walking in before me.

"Grisia, what are you wasting our time with now?" Brandon's voice (Only deeper) snapped. I breathed deeply before entering the room after teacher, standing to my full height and trying to look sure of myself. A wall of shocked silence met me.

I looked around the room, trying to maintain the rush of emotions that came at seeing them all.

_They've all grown so much._

Blaze looked just about the same, except with his mouth hanging wide. Storms face seemed longer, and his hair shorter (but still the same brilliant blue). Leaf looked dumbstruck (for once), and his hair was still plaited in the same fashion as when we were children. Earth was still small, and his big watery eyes were running like a faucet. Hell was showing emotion for the first time since I had met him, his eyes wide. Cloud had just dropped a pile of books and was currently looking at me with disbelief. Ice had a glass half-lifted, dripping water onto the table in front of him. Stone looked ready to faint. Ryder looked relieved, confusing me a little. Moon actually had his head up for once, looking at me with tired eyes of shock.

_They all seem so much older. How do I look to them right now?_

I walked to the head of the table amidst the silence, sitting in my chair (which looked a little bit dusty) and laying my hands flat on the table.

"Hello," I said clearly, trying to think of what I was meant to say next.

Then, all hell broke loose.


	25. Chapter 24

"WHAT KIND OF JOKE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING?!" Leaf shouted, looking about ready to claw Teachers eyes out. Luckily Ryder reacted quickly, grabbing Leaf and holding him back as he struggled to attack teacher, who looked calm.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Storm growled, glaring at me, "Grisia! This is your magic, isn't it?, Who the hell is this imposter?!"

"D-D-Don't you dare t-t-t-try to replace C-Caelan with a lookalike!" Earth sobbed, looking at Teacher.

I watched the scene with wide eyes. I should have expected this. If the situation had been reversed, I would have thought it to be a ruse as well.

"You heartless bastard," Cloud whispered, looking at Grisia with disbelief. This hit me the hardest. Graytian was kind. This was the closest to anger I had ever seen him.

_I have to say something to reassure them…_

I covered my hands with invisible wind element, pulling out an old trick of mine. Then I slammed my fists onto the table, actually managing to crack it. I looked at them all seriously, half-standing as I yelled, "I have no idea what I'm meant to say!"

_Shit. That was meant to come out inspirational!_

"Calm down, everybody," Ryder said reasonably, letting go of Leaf slowly. He walked to stand next to me, where Seriph would have been had he been present. He nudged me, signaling it was my turn to speak.

I turned to them, trying not to show how confused and unsure I was. In a voice I hoped had authority I said, "I..."

_I what? Pretended to be dead. Lied to you all. Abandoned you and went off to the North for a few years. Forgot who I was._

"Who are you?" Ice asked quietly, shaking his head, "Who are you really?"

This was thing I _was _sure of. In a clear voice I said, "My name is Caelan Avick."

"No you aren't," Blaze growled, looking scary, "Caelan died. Don't you dare pretend to be him."

"I am Caelan Avick," I said again, firmer this time, "I was brought into the Church from the Orphanage at a young age. Teacher began raising me as the Sun Knight, skipping through the selection ceremony. Years ago, in this room, we were given our first group mission. At that time I found my brother," Frowns of confusion blossomed, "And..." I hesitated before hanging my head, unable to meet their gazes, "Then I faked the death of myself and my Brother."

"Caelan would never do that," Earths voice trembled. My heart broke in two when I heard it, and all I wanted to do was go embrace him. To pat him on the head like when we were children. To heal his wounds. But this wasn't a wound that could be healed by Holy Light.

"I'm sorry. Kaden- everybody... I didn't mean for it to turn out like this... It was only meant to be a short while..."

"He's telling the truth," Ryder said softly. His hand was on my shoulder, comforting. His voice trembled a little as he spoke, "I didn't believe either, but..."

"Is it really Caelan?" Ice whispered.

"It is," Teacher said clearly. Earth threw himself at me, sobbing loudly onto my shoulder.

_You've gotten taller. You're almost as tall as me now…_

"I'm sorry," I wrapped my trembling arms around him, squeezing tightly as tears began to leak from my eyes. My voice cracked and my whole body shook as I cried like a child, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Y-Y-You're back," He wailed, sniffling and burying his head further into my shoulder. Others moved wordlessly, joining in the embrace.

"Where have you been?" Leaf demanded. He was standing apart from us, fists clenched and looking furious.

"North," I whispered, avoiding his judging stare.

"Why did you bother coming back?" His voice was cold. I winced painfully, feeling the words like a blow to the heart.

"Leaf!" Ryder yelled, looking at Leaf with incredulity, "What's wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with _me?!_" He gestured at me angrily, "What's wrong with you?! He's obviously been living happily without us! You expect us to accept him after he _faked his death_ and took a little _vacation_?! Don't screw with me!" He turned to me angrily, "Go back! Don't worry about another disappearing act, just leave through the front door like a man! You worthless coward!" I could see tears in his eyes as he snarled, "Did you ever even _think_ of how we felt?! You can't just decide to come back like nothing happened."

I detached myself from my friends, hanging my head and replying softly, "I didn't think of how you felt. I didn't come back. But not because I didn't want to," I looked up at them pleadingly, "I never intended to be gone this long. I didn't return because-" I stopped, not knowing how to continue.

"If you're going to tell them, tell them all of it," Teacher said quietly. I felt like blasting him with ice magic.

_Yeah I'll just throw it all onto the table. Not a problem at all._

"Close the door," I said angrily. Teacher did as I asked without complaint, closing and locking it firmly. I pulled off the Sun Knight jacket, then began to unbutton the top of my plain white shirt. I pulled it back slightly, revealing my binder before saying in a quiet voice, "I was born Caelan Avick; A female," I met each of their shocked gazes, despite having the urge to run and hide, "Both my parents and brother were spies of the Church of Chaos. My brother was initially trained to become Sun Knight, before my parents insisted they all leave the spying life. Then," I couldn't help clenching my teeth, "They were murdered. I was presumed to have died with them. Instead I ended up here. I had no memories. Teacher found me and made me the Sun Knight in Training," I began to button up the top again self-consciously, "When I found my brother I began to remember. I knew… I had to disappear. I-I went to Pink. I asked her to help me, and she did. She arranged for me and my brother to become somebody else. Up until now I've lived in the North as Kadence. Seriph and Metal found me. I insisted on coming back, even though I didn't remember why I had to. I'm sorry."

"If you ever do anything like that _ever_ again," Leaf shouted, "I'll never forgive you! Bastard!"

"I don't expect forgiveness," I whispered, "I don't expect any of you to ever forgive me for what I did."

"Maybe not completely," Ryder said seriously before smiling softly, "But I think it will have to do. After all; We're not the Twelve Holy Knights if we're divided."

I looked up in shock. They all stood, looking at me with accepting eyes.

I jumped at them, unable to keep from sobbing in joy. _I shouldn't be the one crying. I've been asleep all these years. All these years I've missed. I never got to see them grow. I never got to grow with them._

_I've missed you all so much._

_Even if I didn't remember, I never stopped missing you._

_Never stopped wanting to stand by your side._

_Even without all my memories, I knew what I was missing._

_You all._

* * *

After Teacher had detached me from my brothers he insisted I go address the Pope. And so here I stood, feeling awkward and small in the Pope's massive study. It was almost like the first time I'd come here, too afraid to touch anything.

He was watching me curiously, his chin resting on his hands. A smile tugged at his lips and he said softly, "You can't just run in here with some grubby kid and expect me to accept him as the next Sun Knight, damn it."

The repeated phrase from my childhood shocked a little laugh at me, making my shoulders ease down.

"No, Seriously," He said simply, shrugging and looking at teacher, "_He_," He said significantly, giving me a look that said 'Yes, I know. No, I don't care', "Never even finished his Sun Knight training. Just look at his posture," He clucked his tongue like an old lady, "No good. Looks aren't enough to pass him as the Sun Knight."

"What are you trying to say…?" Teacher asked slowly, looking suspicious.

The Pope grinned wickedly, "He's not the Sun Knight yet. Luckily his Teacher just so _happens_ to be around to continue teaching him, eh?"

"No way!" Teacher protested, looking incredulous, "You can't expect me to stick around and teach this lump!" _Who're you calling lump?!_ "I've already given him the sword and everything!"

"Not my problem," The Pope shrugged, "The Pope doesn't have authorization over the Twelve Holy Knights. Though I suppose Lesus still might," He looked thoughtful, "He might even still be in Leaf Bud City… Last time I checked, he was. I wonder what he would think about you abandoning your student…"

Teacher blanched, "Don't use Lesus to blackmail me! Brat!"

"It's not blackmail, it's leverage," The Pope smiled sweetly, "You're to stay and continue teaching him."

* * *

_I've missed it here. _I breathed in the night air, filling my lungs with cold bliss. _It's definitely a lot warmer here. Everything is so much more alive._

I was sitting on the roof, quietly musing to myself. Even when Teacher had warned me to stay in my rooms, saying nobody could casually glimpse me before everything was explained, I couldn't resist the urge to climb out my window and onto the roof. In the North I would have spent my nights tending my flowers and plants, under the moonlight.

_I wonder how they spent their nights,_ I felt empty, despite it all. _They've all gotten so much… older. How many years have I missed? _

I tilted my head back, feeling the moonlight bathe my face, _I wish I could have grown with them. Trained with them. I wish I had never left. I'm so selfish. Seriph hates me now, for sure. They must all hate me a little. Why wouldn't they?_

"I heard," Ryder's voice startled me out of my thoughts, making me jump in fright. He was walking along the roof, looking utterly normal, "That there was a fairy on the roof. I came to check it out."

"And instead you got a demon," I said in an understanding voice, nodding my head seriously, "I can see your predicament."

He seated himself next to me, laying flat on the roof and yawning loudly. We sat in silence for a few moments before he said softly, "I'm not sure what I got was a demon at all. Maybe an imp. Small and cheeky. But not vindictive."

"Your eyes are as dull as your brain then," I said quietly, looking in the other direction.

"We don't blame you," He said.

"You're lying to make me feel better," I replied tightly.

"We're angry," He admitted, and I heard the sound of him sitting up, "But we don't blame you."

"I don't believe you," It came out sounding weaker than I had intended.

"You don't have to," He said quietly, "I don't expect you to understand. But try. Since that day… we all thought you were dead. Caelan, we buried your _ashes_. We stood over your grave and said our last farewells. We're honestly just happy you're alive. No matter why you left, you're back. That's what's important."

I thought it over. I could understand, but at the same time I still couldn't accept it. _Would I be so calm in their place?_

"What's it like, having two people in your head?" He asked curiously, lying back down on the roof.

I tilted my head thoughtfully, feeling odd when my hair didn't follow the action in its' usual manner. In a slow voice I tried to explain, "It's like… I can't even explain it. They're both _me_, but not. I'm half the me that became the Sun Knight in training, and part the me that lived in the North."

"What was it like? Living up there?"

"Empty," I said honestly. Remembering how I was then made me feel uneasy, like the way I felt then would come and swallow me again. I elaborated in a soft voice, "Life was so empty. I had my brother, but even when he was there… It felt so lonely. When he wasn't there, it was torture. I couldn't sleep. Couldn't eat. It was like I became an empty shell," I ran a hand through my short hair, "My amnesia wasn't bullet-proof. It wasn't like I was a different person, more like… a reflection. I still _felt_ like me. When I saw people, I still felt like I would as Caelan. That's why I saved Seriph," I twisted my cloak, "Actually I was kind of afraid of him. Wendy, my friend, had told me all these awful things…" My voice was quiet and sad, "Things that the 'Whole continent knows'. It really is too cruel. As Caelan; I understand it has to be done. But as Kadence…" I shook my head, "He already hated himself for being the Judgment Knight. Then he started blaming himself for my death… How am I supposed to face him now? When I know all the misery I've caused him?"

"I don't know," He replied, sighing, "I really don't. But I wouldn't be so sure he hates you."

He stood, stretching looking up at the moon with a smile, "But you'll find a way. You always do. After all; You're the Sun Knight. It's your duty to bring light," He began to walk away before stopping, not looking over his shoulder as he said, "It's nice to have my Best Friend back."

"It's nice to be back," I replied, smiling.

* * *

_**I hope you liked the chapter! Your reviews are all so lovely~! :3**_

_**I'm going to miss Seriph's PoV too. TnT It'll just go smoother with Caelans' PoV. And yes, I'm finishing in a lot of cliffhangers. Mwuahaha. :D**_


	26. Chapter 25

I strode down the halls angrily, my face dark enough that it would have made the first Judgment Knight proud.

_He lied. He pretended to die right in front of me._

_And I couldn't even stop him. Couldn't even see it for the farce it was. I'm such an idiot._

I grabbed one of the swords hanging on the wall as I entered the deserted training ground, embracing the usual procedures. The habit had never changed, not since I was a child. When emotions threatened to break me I would train until my body ached and I lost my thoughts, and myself, to my training.

To put it frankly; I was at war with myself. Part of me said I had no right to be angry. That it was my fault. That I could have stopped it. The other said I _had_ to be angry. He'd lied to me. To all of us. And not just about dying either.

_I feel like shit._

I raised the sword and began my drills, feeling the rebuttal of the wood beneath my sword. It was comfortingly familiar. I focused on it, but I wasn't able to completely ignore my thoughts this time.

_Grisia lied to us all, from the very moment he brought him- no, not him. __**Her**__ into the Holy Temple. He broke every rule. How dare he?_

I struck with more force than was necessary, teeth clenched in anger.

_All of those times I easily beat her in training. She wasn't strong enough. She still isn't. I can't believe him. She could have died. She __**did**__ die. And he still didn't say anything…_

_Neither of them did._

"Damn it," I growled in a low voice, striking faster until my arm was a blur.

_I'm not like this. I'm calm. But… The Princess knew. She __**knew**__ that Caelan was still alive. _

_Stop. This isn't like you. You're calm. You're uncaring. Stop being so emotional. You don't need emotions. You live for the Church._

The sword embedded into the wood, putting up an unreasonable amount of resistance when I tried to remove it.

_Damn it. I'm going to need to pry the bloody thing out._

I turned, robes swishing as I stared at my feet, breathing slowly and wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand.

_It doesn't matter who he is. The Church needs a Sun Knight._

_Even if he's irresponsible and careless enough to disappear without a word._

_Even if he's stupid enough to fake his own death._

_Even if he doesn't care enough to-_

I bit down on the thought, not finishing it.

_I don't need emotions. Live for the Church. That was always the motto._

_The Church needs the Sun Knight. You don't. Just… ignore it. All of it. Live for the Church._

"Hi there," A weak voice said from up ahead. I looked up and saw Caelan, standing awkwardly by the sword rack. He- No, _She_- Was dressed in a black robe that had its' hood flipped up. Still I could see her golden hair reflecting in the moonlight.

I didn't bother to reply. I snatched a sword off the wall, feeling silly for the action as I stalked back to the dummy.

_You don't need emotions. Stop being so stupid._

I tried to keep myself calm as I positioned the sword against its' brother, levering it out. It came free suddenly, clattering to the ground and making me take a step forward. I bent to pick it up, only to have a slender white hand pick it up before I could. Caelan was standing in front of me, displaying some of the false-confidence from her childhood. I ignored her, turning away and walking to one of the other wooden dummies.

"You can't just ignore me, you know," She said quietly, sounding wounded and small. I ignored it, shifting the weight of the sword in my hands and breathing deeply.

_I should just leave. She can't bother me if I go to my rooms. Maybe afterwards I'll duck out to a prayer room. Or-_

The thought was cut short as a sword came flying at me. I held up my own in shock, deflecting the blow and taking a step back while falling into a fighting pose. Caelan stood, sword in hands and glaring at me.

"Don't just ignore me!" She snapped, looking furious.

I wanted to do just that. To walk away. But I couldn't, not while she still had her sword raised.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked, deadpan. My eyes were cold, but I was burning with fury inside.

_You don't need emotions. Just the Church. Calm down._

"I-I just want to be able to say sorry," She looked unsure of herself, her big eyes making me want to hit myself.

_She still looks like Kadence. Damn it._

"You just did," I said emotionlessly, turning to walk away. She struck forward, our swords meeting as she tried to keep me in place.

"Not like that!" She mumbled angrily, avoiding my cold stare.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to spar," I said coldly, flinging my sword back and forcing her to retreat. She didn't stop there, letting loose a flurry of attacks at me. I deflected them all easily, feeling like sighing.

_Just leave me alone. Will you stop rubbing salt in the wound?!_

"Stop being such an idiot!" She yelled angrily, striking my sword again with a force that almost made me take a step back. Almost.

"You're too stubborn," I said coldly. It was an old phrase, and I could see by the pain in her eyes that she remembered it.

"You say I'm too stubborn, But in the end," She clenched her teeth and switched her sword to only one hand, using the other to cast magic quickly as she began to attack, "Aren't you the one being stubborn?! You won't even let me explain!"

_You're the one keeping me here by fighting me._

"Explain what?" I snapped, unable to contain my anger anymore, "Why you decided to just disappear?! To let me think you were dead?! Don't worry, you don't have to. I already know," She looked relieved until I continued in a scathing voice, "Because you're a selfish coward," Her eyes widened, looking pained. I couldn't stop myself as I continued loudly, "Because I wasn't deemed worthy of the knowledge. Anastasia knew though, didn't she?! Don't worry about coming back as the Sun Knight," I struck hard, making her stumble backward, "After all," I struck with my leg, making her fall flat onto the floor. I stuck my sword deep into the ground next to her head, yelling now, "You can just go back to the North, you selfish bastard. Go without telling us anything, again. After all, we aren't _important_ enough to know. You're the one who always complained that we weren't the Twelve Holy Knights if we were divided," She looked terrified, but I continued shouting, "In the end it was you who decided that we weren't important enough to stay together!"

I stood, unable to keep my face from twisting in anger as I looked away.

_This isn't like you. Calm down. Calm down. Don't say anything more. Walk away. You don't need to do this._

Still, my anger moved me as I turned back to continue. I knew I must look terrifying. All dressed in black and towering over her as she laid still on the ground. But I couldn't help yelling out my frustration, "Go back to the North. You've made your place clear. You can't just pick and-"

I froze. Her bottom lip trembled and she had begun to cry, looking like a child.

_I'm a monster._

"I'm sorry," She whispered, eyes wide and scared, "I don't know what I did. I'm so-"

"You don't _know_?!" I snapped, cracking completely. In a shouting voice I continued, "You pretended you were _dead_. You ran off to have a happy life, and then had the nerve to come back and continue on like it was _nothing_!"

"You're scaring me," She wrapped her hands around her head, bringing her knees up and burying her face in them, "I'm sorry. I don't- It- Urgh!"

"Get up," I snapped, turning and beginning to walk away despite the guilt that threatened to eat me alive, "You look pathetic. A Sun Knight should look more elegant."

"Who?" She sounded confused and scared.

"What?" I turned angrily, "Decided you _do_ want to disappear again? Don't bother with the disappearing act. We won't bother you anymore."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," She shook a little as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, "Don't leave me alone."

"_Now_ you decide you want our company?" I snapped.

"I'm scared," She whispered, before sobbing loudly, "Don't come near me! I'll kick your ass!"

"What's wrong with you?" I growled, "Get up and go back to your rooms already. If somebody finds you here like this-"

"Where is my brother?" She stood shakily, hugging her arms with tears streaming down her face, "I don't know… I-I don't know where I am…"

"Caelan?" I asked, confused.

She didn't react to the name, except to look even more scared, "Seriph, you're scaring me."

I reached forward but she slapped away my hand, retreating two paces and shaking her head furiously, "Wendy was right! I shouldn't have gone with you! She w-was right… You're a really mean person!"

_What the hell is with this reaction?!_

"Caelan," I growled angrily, "Just go to your rooms already."

"Stop calling me that!" She screamed, ice magic beginning to radiate off of her.

"Fine! Sun Knight! Whatever!" _Fine. If you hate me calling you by your name so much, you'll just be the Sun Knight from now on._

"My name is Kadence!" She shouted angrily, "Stop calling me weird things!"

I froze, eyes wide in shock as I stared at her blankly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked slowly, suspicions running wild through my head.

"Wendy was right about you J-J…" She slowed down, face confused as she squeezed her head tightly, "Who are you?!"

"It's me," I said, starting to panic a little, "Seriph Judgment. What's wrong-?!"

She clenched her eyes tightly, hands still squeezing her head as she fell with a thud to the floor. I rushed to her side, dropping on one knee and checking her vitals. Her heart was pumping at a ridiculous rate, her skin clammy as she began to scream.

Without another thought I scooped her up, running through the halls and trying to stop my hands from shaking. I kicked open Grisia's door, rushing in despite his loud protests. He looked at Caelan with wide eyes, shouting something and ordering me to lay her on the bed. I did, then stepped back. I dimly noticed that I was shaking, no doubt in shock.

"What the hell did you do, you bastard?!" Somebody yelled. In a moment I was pressed up against a wall, a cold iron dagger pressed hard against my throat.

"I-I-" _Can't finish a sentence, _"I don't know!"

_Normally she would shout something back at me. Maybe throw something. Look hurt. Walk away. Not this. Never this._

The screaming stopped with a burst of Holy Light, generated by Grisia. I saw Caelan's head as she shrunk further into the blankets, away from Grisia.

"Caelan!" The dagger disappeared from my throat, accompanied by her brother. He rushed to her side, face full of worry as he leant onto the bed, "What's wrong?!"

"Brother!" She shouted, tears still streaming down her face. She threw the blankets off, launching herself at him. They both fell into a heap on the floor and she buried her face into his chest, sobbing loudly, "I want to go home! I can't stand it here anymore! My head hurts!"

"Caelan?!" He asked unsurely, detaching her and holding her at a distance to stare her in the eye, "What's wrong with you?! What happened?!"

Instead of answering she looked angry, pushing him away and balling her fists as she shouted angrily, "WHY ARE YOU ALL CALLING ME THAT, DAMN IT!"

"Kadence?" Grisia asked slowly, taking a step towards her and looking horrified.

She turned to him angrily, "Finally! One of you has it right!" She stopped, looking confused, "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

* * *

**_Cliffhanger. Again. *Cough* Sorry._**

**_Don't worry, it all contributes to the story. x] I'm loving all your reviews TuT Also I can't believe this is my longest story! o_o It seems to have gone by so quickly._**


	27. Chapter 26

The room was silent for a few moments. Her brother didn't move, instead staring at her in disbelief. Her Aunt looked furious, her golden eyes narrowed dangerously. Grisia's face was a mask of stillness. And me? Well I imagine that I looked how I felt.

Like I'd just been hit by a bus. Twice.

The silence was broken when Grisia smiled, walking towards me. His smile was a brilliant as ever, but his eyes were tight and his form was rigid. In a calm voice he said, "We should let your guest rest. I imagine her brother and this charming young woman haven't eaten yet. We ought to show them to the dining room. Immediately."

With that he left, not bothering to wait for us to follow him. I did immediately, no longer able to stay in the room. Her Aunt followed soon after, glaring coldly at Grisia. I heard the sound of her protesting for her brother to stay, but he soon joined us in the hallway. We began to walk quietly, Grisia leading the way to the meeting room. He threw open the door and walked in, pace agitated.

"You swine," The Aunt said in her lilting voice, "Do you have a death wish? Fix her. Now."

"What happened?" Her brother demanded, eyes trained on me and brows pulled down into an angry scowl, "What did you do to her?!"

"We fought," I said tightly, avoiding his glare, "Verbally and physically. All of a sudden she just started acting weird..."

_Well, weirder than usual._

"It's not the boys fault," Grisia snapped suddenly, beginning to pace, "Damn it. I thought I'd removed whatever was causing her memory loss, but it's still there."

"But I'm fine," Her brother said, "We were both suffering from the same thing. What if you just made a mistake with hers? Re-do it! If it works for me, it should work for her!"

"I can't," Grisia said in a tight voice, jaw clenched, "If it was just once I was willing to risk it. But it's stronger than yours was. I don't even know what it is, if we're not careful..." He looked grim, "She could lose her memories for good. Or worse. Psychic magic is dangerous and complicated."

"Then what are we meant to do?" I demanded. This can't be happening. Not again.

"I'll have to talk to Pink," He stopped pacing, sighing loudly, "If anybody can fix it, she can."

"Why do you not sound optimistic about this?" Her Aunt asked suspiciously, looking dangerous.

"Pink is..." Grisia hesitated to find the word, "Whimsical. Even if its me, she'll only help if it amuses her. And if she receives something in return."

"I'll pay her whatever she wants," Her Aunt snapped, "Just make her fix Caelan."

"She's a Necromancer," Grisia said frankly, "She doesn't accept payment in gold or coins."

"And?" The Aunt said testily, "I didn't ask what I had to pay her in. Just get her here, now."

"It will take two days of travel," He reiterated, sounding surprised, "She's in the Kingdom of Kissigner at the moment. We passed paths on my way here."

"Then we leave now," She snapped, readjusting her hood and tucking her hair away, "Lead the way, shiny boy."

"I'm coming with you," The brother said suddenly, looking determined.

"Youre staying with your sister," The Aunt looked serious, "I don't trust her here, with these people."

"Why can't she come with us? It would be quicker," He looked panicked.

"We can't," Grisia said quietly, "You can't either," He was pointing to the Aunt, "The journey would usually take a week. I can get there quicker by using magic, but any more people would just make it slower."

"Tcht," The Aunt looked insulted, "Who's relying on you? We just happen to be going to the same destination."

"If you fall back I'm leaving you behind," He said flatly, looking irritated, "You can't expect to get there in a reasonable amount of time without magic."

"I might not have your shiny flare," She sneered, "But I'm no stranger to magic."

"Aunty," The brother looked uncomfortable all of a sudden, shaking his head slightly, "We're in the Church."

"I don't fear these glowing bastards," She snapped, beginning to radiate darkness, "They've done enough damage. I'm going to speak to this Pink, Necromancer to Necromancer. Our kind stick together."

I wanted to be surprised, but I couldn't muster it. Somehow it seemed normal that Caelan's brother was an assassin and her Aunt a Necromancer. Out of all of them, she still scared me the most.

"Fine," Grisia sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Seriph, you inform the Knights what has happened. She can't be seen like that either. Inform the Pope as well. Tell him not to try anything, not until I bring Pink back. If she starts acting odd again," He frowned, looking pained, "Just... Just try Holy Light. It seemed to work well this time."

"Kaiden," The Aunt said, looking at Caelan's brother seriously, "Keep safe. Both of you. I'll fix it, I promise."

Kaiden nodded and Grisia exited the room, followed closely by the Aunt. Kaiden and I stood in silence for a few more moments, neither willing to make the first move. Eventually I shook my head free of any other thought and strode to the rooms of the Twelve Holy Knights, not sure what I was meant to tell them. I met Moon along the way. When I told him we were holding a meeting he immediately offered to help inform the others, looking his usual serious self. I accepted gratefully, knowing that (even if they weren't in their rooms) it would only take him a few minutes to find and herd everybody. I helped as well, of course, but nowhere near as efficiently as him. In less than ten minutes we were all standing in the meeting room, everybody alert and looking worried. I saw their gazes, stuck on the empty chair next to me.

In a loud voice I started, "Ca-Sun has..." How do I explain this?! "Reverted... to the state he was in before returning to the Temple."

They all looked more confused than before I had started. All but one, that is.

"What do you mean?" Ryder looked worried, "She thinks she's Kadence again?!"

"Yes," I answered simply, grateful that he caught on so quickly.

"What happened?" Blaze demanded.

_Urgh. This isn't going to be fun._

"We fought," I said slowly, wanting to bang my head on the desk. _Stupid, Stupid, Stupid._ In a calm voice I continued, "According to Grisia the block in her memories hasn't disappeared properly. He's afraid that if we attempt removing it again, she may suffer complete memory loss. Or worse. He's gone to the Kingdom of Kissinger to find a," _Necromancer_, "Friend to help restore her. He says it will take two days."

"What are we meant to do in the meantime?" Storm asked seriously, eyes tight.

"Keep him out of sight," I paused before elaborating, "It might be best to pose him as a female until we can fix the problem. At the moment we don't know how he'll react to things," I couldn't help frowning, "And he won't remember-" _Any of us? But that's not right. He remembered my name. So then..._ "I don't know who he will and will not remember. He thinks his name is Kadence, and that he was born in the North. He doesn't remember us."

This was met by a tense wall of silence. And then sniffling.

"B-B-But he just came back," Earth mumbled, tears already running down his face, "He really won't remember us?"

_Dont give him false hope. Dont give him false hope. Dont give him-_

"He might," I offered weakly.

_Damn it, Seriph! Get yourself together!_

Earth (thankfully) stopped crying, looking hopeful. Metal stood, sighing loudly and still looking worried as he tried to be optimistic, "Won't know until we find out," He said, smiling reassuringly at Earth, "Lets go see her now. We can sort out what we're going to do there."

They all stood, beginning to filter out. They had worry in their eyes, the only thing keeping me from reminding them that jamming ten people into her room probably _wasn't_ the best way to go about it. So instead I followed, trying to pinpoint in my memories the moment she switched back. I was sure it was in between me tripping her and stabbing the sword next to her head.

_I'm such a monster. The first thing she awoke to was me towering over her with a sword, yelling my lungs out. I'm surprised she didn't try to kill me. I wouldn't have blamed her. No wonder she looked so terrified..._

"What are you all doing?!" Anastasia demanded as we began to filter in, looking shocked, "Dont just come barging in!"

"Sorry Princess," Metal laughed, trying to seem carefree for the others, "I heard some idiot bonked their head, and I couldn't resist coming to see."

"I told you to stop insulting people!" I heard Caelan yell. I entered just in time to see Metal get hit by a pillow. Without a second thought I moved to the furthest corner, taking in the scene from afar. Caelan was sitting on the bed, wearing a regular pair of pants and a top. She looked like a tomboy, with her hair cut short but obviously no longer wearing her binder. Beside her sat her brother, looking exasperated. On her other side sat Anastasia, who was currently rolling her eyes at Metal. I could see that they were all trying hard to appear normal, no doubt for Caelan's sake.

"Ah!" Metal said dramatically, clutching the pillow, "Death by pillow!"

"I'll make it murder by pillow in a second," She said, looking... normal. She was back to her cheerful self, lips pulled into a wide smile and eyes bright. She turned to the other knights, looking slightly confused, "Hello."

That word was all it took for Earth to start crying again. It was a sight I, and most of the other people in the room, were accustomed to. Kaiden and Caelan, however, looked shocked.

"What's wrong?" Caelan demanded, standing and crossing the distance between them quickly, "Did this idiot bully you?"

"Why am I the bad guy?" Metal looked wronged, putting on an overly innocent face.

Caelan didn't answer, instead patting Earths head and looking kind.

"Earth," Cloud appeared behind them quietly, placing a reassuring hand on Earths shoulder, "Calm down."

"Nice to meet you," Ice said suddenly. The room was quiet for a moment, but he didn't seem fazed. Instead he held his hand out for Caelan, looking slightly pained but determined, "I'm Ashton Ice."

She took his hand, smiling brightly, "Kadence Avick."

Slowly, with eyes pained, everybody introduced themselves as if they were strangers. In that moment I knew they had made a group decision to let her live in ignorance until Grisia returned. I had been planning to do the same. Moreso because I knew there would be no convincing her that she was the Sun Knight who had cross dressed since childhood. Even I was still coming to grips with that one.

"So what are you all doing here?" She asked after the introductions were over, dropping back onto the bed in between Anastasia and her brother. The other Knights had began to sit, some lounging on the chairs and others simply sitting against walls. Metal was actually sitting on the table, one of his legs crossed beneath him and the other dangling down.

"We heard reports of a blonde-haired monster in these areas," He said seriously, "We thought we would come check it out."

Rather than make a quip back she looked distant, raising her hand to her now-short hair, "Mhm."

Metal looked worried for a few moments before bursting out, "Hey, how about we have a few drinks to celebrate your brother arriving in Leaf Bud City?"

She looked excited, "That sounds fun! You're paying, right?"

"Stingy," Leaf commented mildly.

"No need to pay," Anastasia said suddenly, "The Church has a cellar."

Blaze looked disbelieving, "Are you sure?"

"Yep. It's in the Sun Knights' rooms," She stood, looking thoughtful before saying, "Dont tell anybody, though. I'm not supposed to know."

Nobody asked how she did know. They followed her out, Metal quickly throwing a cloak over Caelan, all talking with the laughing Caelan happily. It seemed very much like a family.

Either Caelan had not seen me or, which was more likely, she was avoiding me.

_It might seem like a family, but it's not my family. But that's okay. Live for the Church._


	28. Chapter 27

The sight that met me the next day when I went to the training grounds was…

_Sigh._

Bad.

My platoon was there, as per usual. It was their morning routine to run through drills together, followed by running around the city. They were all there, like usual. What was unusual was the sight of them all fighting against Kadence. And losing.

Her hair had (somehow) managed to get long again. It was plaited down her back, swinging back and forth as she leapt and kicked. She was wearing practice attire; black clothing secured by belts. Rather than taking off the belts, as she had when we were children, she had kept them on. From the sidelines Anastasia and Metal were cheering, looking vastly amused as my platoon was beaten up.

"What do you think you're doing?" My deep voice startled them, making them just about fall off of the bench they had been sitting on.

Metal looked guilty, while Anastasia just started laughing, "She insisted that she come to training this morning. She said Jean would need her there for 'moral support'."

"We made sure she won't be recognized," Metal said quickly, looking embarrassed, "Anastasia got a wig for her."

"I meant what are you letting her do to my platoon?" I couldn't keep the exasperation out of my voice as I watched Ignal being thrown a metre away. He landed with a thud, looking winded.

"Aw, Come on," Anastasia rolled her eyes, "It's good for training. It's sad that your platoon is getting beaten by a girl."

"If you're worried about them you should join in," Metal offered, eyes excited.

_He just wants to see Kadence beat me up. Urgh._

I remembered last night and shook my head quietly, resolving to sit back and watch.

"Wuss," Anastasia muttered, turning back to the fighting with a soft smile.

It continued for awhile more, and I watched with growing worry as my platoon was thrown away carelessly. _She's not going to injure them to get back at me, right?_

Ignal stood, panting slightly as he called out, "Yield!"

With that the fighting stopped, Kadence putting her hands on her hips and looking triumphant. Around her my platoon members looked relieved, some of them limping back to seats and others just collapsing onto the floor where they were.

"Ha! I told you I'd win!" Kadence boasted.

"You're definitely a necromancer," Ignal muttered, rubbing his back in a sore way and looking remorseful.

"Hey!" She pouted, looking wronged, "You're all just too weak! And here, could a Necromancer do this?" She glowed softly with Holy Light, instantly healing the small cuts and bruises she had.

"Not convinced," He said with a serious voice, but his face danced with laughter.

_I couldn't get him to warm up to me in years, and it only took her a day._

I couldn't help feeling envious.

_Live for the Church._

"Anastasia, Anastasia!" Kadence called excitedly, turning and running to us, "I told you it would-"

She froze halfway to us, looking at me in shock. She quickly turned her face away, looking angry. I sighed, despite myself.

"I'm going to go console my platoon," I said softly to a confused Metal. I walked to them quickly, avoiding looking at her as she stood still as a deer. When my back was to them I heard them talk, but ignored what they were saying.

_I probably don't want to hear it._

"Captain!" Ignal stood and saluted, wincing slightly as he did so.

"Does anybody need a cleric?" I asked, looking around at my battered platoon members and still feeling a bit worried. _Really, she needs to learn restraint._

"No, Sir," Ignal smiled, surprising me.

"You're all excused from the rest of this morning's training," I said, "You've worked hard."

"But we lost, Sir," Ignal protested, looking mortified.

I shook my head, unable to keep a little smile off of my face, "It's normal to lose against somebody like that."

"Sir?" Ignal looked confused, and opened his mouth to ask a question before his eyes widened to almost impossible lengths.

"Kadence, No!" Somebody shouted, but before I could turn around to see what the problem was something blunt hit the back of my head. Hard.

_Ow! What the hell?!_

I raised my hand to the back of my head subconsciously, feeling the lump with a small wince. When I turned I saw Kadence, fists clenched either side of herself and looking furious.

"Jackass!" She screamed before turning around and storming out of the training grounds, followed closely by a confused-looking Anastasia. Metal stayed behind, rooted in place and staring at the spot she had been standing with his mouth ajar. The whole training ground descended into silence.

I turned back to see Ignal, looking like he'd just seen a dragon. In a calm, unaffected voice I said, "As I was saying. Thank you for the hard work. If you'll excuse me…"

I turned and walked to Metal, grabbing him by the collar forcefully and dragging him with me out of the training grounds. The silence behind us remained.

"You're going to have to keep a closer eye on her," I growled, unable to keep the emotion out of my voice.

He held his hands up defensively, "I don't even know what that was about! We didn't even say anything!"

I sighed, nodding and letting go of his collar. I could feel a headache coming on, but ignored it, "Just try and keep her under control. I know it's hard work, but I'm counting on you."

"What happened between you two?" He asked cautiously, looking confused.

"She turned… back to Kadence during a fight," I said slowly, avoiding his stare, "I might have gone a little overboard…"

"Oh," He sounded surprised, "I was starting to think you didn't have emotions."

_Ouch._

When I turned back to him he was smiling awkwardly. _Wait… was he trying to make a joke?_

"Uh," _I could have been a poet. Is 'Uh' really the best I can come up with?!_

"Joking," He clarified, laughing slightly, "I'm going to go back to babysitting. So uh… yeah. You should go see a cleric."

He left hurriedly, muttering something to himself.

_I shouldn't have dismissed morning practice. Now I have a whole hour before I have something to do…_

I bit my lip, looking around the empty corridor and wondering what I should do.

_I haven't visited the Sunflowers since I left. _

Feeling warm inside I walked out to where they were, shrouded by buildings. They stood almost as tall as me now, their petals open and smooth in the sun. Bending down I picked up the small watering can that sat to the side. Unlike Caelan I couldn't just will the water over the plants, instead having to do so manually. Still, it was one of the few tasks I enjoyed. As the sun rose it beat down on the area, making me feel comfortably warm.

_The South is definitely the best._

I smiled to myself as I tipped the can, sending droplets of water showering down on the ground. It took five rounds, but eventually all of the flowers were watered. I leaned up against one of the walls, cracking my neck as I did so.

_Urgh. She throws like a man._

I rubbed the sore spot on my head, sighing.

"_You," A man clad in black said, looking intimidating as he stared down at me._

_**Don't take me away. Don't torture me. I didn't mean to be bad.**_

"_Would you like to join the Church?" I was surprised, but the emotion didn't touch my face. Instead I nodded slowly, my stomach feeling empty. Which, in all seriousness, it probably was._

_**Live for the Church.**_

"_Child," Teacher looked serious, "Your most important task is to protect the Sun Knight. Do you understand?"_

_I nodded, emotionless._

"_If you understand," He gripped my shoulder painfully, bending down to look me in the eyes sadly, "Then why did you let him die?"_

My eyes flew open and I leant forward. With a dim sense of realization I recognized that I was leaning against the same wall, near the Sunflower patch. I looked around, confused. It was more brightly lit, which meant…

_Shi-! I fell asleep._

I stood, swaying blearily as I brushed off my uniform, glad that I was wearing black.

"Captain," As I entered the corridor Ignal called out, looking relieved. He approached with a salute, "The Platoon was just about to begin today's interrogations. We were wondering, what would you like done with the new recruit…?"

_I almost forgot about Jean. He definitely can't watch the interrogations, especially in his first week… Damn it. Now what?_

"Has he gotten his uniform yet?" I asked seriously, wondering idly if I had bed-head. Or rather, wall-head.

"Yes sir, Although it doesn't fit him well. He is still quite young…"

"I'll take him to a tailor-" _Metal_, "To get it re-fitted. Where is he at the moment?"

"The Princess and Knight-Captain Metal have him, Sir," He said.

"Ignal!" A young voice called out. I turned around to see Jean approaching, looking excited. He sobered slightly upon seeing me, saluting and trying to look serious. I resisted the urge to smile in amusement. Behind him stood Anastasia and Metal, looking oddly like parents. Beside them Kadence was still-faced, not looking at me as they approached.

"Jean," Ignal reprimanded, looking like a big brother, "You really should be calling me Vice-Captain…"

"You're getting a big head, Ignal," Kadence commented mildly, still not looking at me.

To my surprise Ignal didn't reply with a quip, instead glancing at her coldly before turning back to Jean, "Captain is going to accompany you to get your uniform re-fitted. Don't forget what we taught you, okay?"

Jean nodded seriously, standing like a rod of steel and looking determined. Behind him Metal was rubbing his eyes before asking in a low voice, "And by getting his uniform re-fitted, you mean making me do it. Right?"

"If you wouldn't mind," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"I'll survive," He said, rolling his eyes and beginning to walk in the direction of his rooms, "Come on, kid."

I followed after them silently, contemplating the necessity of my presence. I could leave him with Metal and the others. But what else did I have to do?

I stepped into Metal's room, closing the door quietly and moving to one of the farthest seats. Metal threw Jean clothes to change into, directing him to the small door to the side.

_Maybe I should just leave? I don't want to make them uncomfortable. I could go to the library? Or maybe offer to help Moon with some of his work._

"Hey, Judge," Metal interrupted my thoughts. He was lounging in one of the chairs, biting on an apple and looking curious, "Did you end up sending any of your platoon members to reinforce the festival?"

I shook my head, "I don't want to disrupt the event. The citizens tend to be afraid of my platoon."

"You could patrol," He suggested, looking amused, "I'm sure that'd fix the problem."

"I'd feel sorry for the citizens," Kadence commented scathingly. She had her eyes trained on the piece of bread in front of her as she ripped it apart.

"Kadence!" Anastasia exclaimed, looking shocked.

"What?" She snapped, looking irritated.

"That was uncalled for," Metal said seriously.

"It's okay," I said softly, standing to leave.

She snorted, "Just drop the act, will you?"

"What act?" Anastasia sounded confused.

"He acts all awkward and kind," She sounded angry, "But he's actually a downright bastard. He doesn't even have the nerve to look me in the eye, the coward."

I ignored it, hand on the doorknob and ready to leave. I couldn't help the embarrassed flush in my face, biting down on my lip hard to avoid retorting. In the end I didn't have to. A sharp slap reverberated through the room.

"What the hell?!" I turned around just as Kadence stood, sending her chair flying backward as she glared at Metal, "What was that for, bastard?!"

"Stop being such a brat," He said calmly, eyes cold, "I don't care if you don't remember, this is a bit much."

Kadence ground her teeth, looking ready to attack before Anastasia said quietly, "I agree. Apologize."

"Like hell," Kadence snapped, "He's just like Wendy said."

_Yep. Wendy is __**definitely**__ a pain in my ass._

"And how is that?" Metal asked, crossing his arms and looking serious.

"W-Well!" She looked taken aback before continuing, "He's like the J…"

She looked down, face confused, "Like somebody… The whole continent knows?"

"Kadence," I asked slowly, suspicious, "What is my position?"

"I-I," She looked even more confused.

"What's Metal's, then?"

"He's…" She looked at him, "I don't know?"

"Anastasia, then?" I took a step forward, realization creeping over me.

"The Princess," She answered surely.

"No way," Metal sounded pissed, "She _didn't_…"

I rubbed my eyes, sighing and sitting back down, "She did."

"What are you two talking about?!" Kadence snapped angrily.

"Go into the next room," Anastasia said blankly.

"No!" She sounded outraged and I heard her thump her hand onto the table, "Tell me! Hey, What are you- Let me go!"

I looked up to see Metal dragging her to the bathroom, pushing her in and locking the door securely. The sound of her fists hitting the door reverberated, making me even more pissed off. Metal turned back to us like a storm, his face dark as he threw himself into one of the chairs.

"So what does this mean?" Anastasia said quietly, looking like she didn't want to admit it.

"Probably…" My voice was angry, "That she didn't just go amnesiac. She chose to forget about _us_. The Twelve Holy Knights."

"Bastard," Metal commented mildly.

I was inclined to agree.


	29. Chapter 28

"She wouldn't have done that," Anastasia said, sounding unsure. My eyes shifted to her and I remembered something vaguely.

"You knew," My eyes narrowed despite my best attempt to remain calm.

_You're letting your emotions get the better of you. Stop it._

She looked flustered and guilty, biting her lower lip and looking away. It was quiet for a moment before she said softly, "After she… left… I got a letter. It explained the situation, albeit vaguely," She looked up to us, her eyes desperate, "I would have told you all, really! B-But it said that…" She turned her face away, eyes focused on the floor before saying in an even quieter voice, "It said that I was the only one who could know."

"So you just let it go," Metal's voice was tight and he had his eyes shut tightly, "We thought she was _dead_ and you… let us?"

"I'm sorry," She said softly.

We sat in silence for a few moments, nothing disturbing the tight air. Then I realized something else.

It was _silent_.

I stood suddenly, walking to the bathroom quickly and knocking loudly, "Kadence?"

No reply came.

_Damn it!_

I stood back and kicked open the door, breaking the lock as I did so. Inside was completely empty, the window slightly ajar.

"Son of a..." Metal drifted off, sounding annoyed. Behind him Anastasia groaned, and I heard her drop her head to the table with a soft bang. I refrained from a similar reaction, instead turning and striding to the front door.

As I opened it I turned to Metal seriously, saying, "Stay here and look after the kid. I'll find her."

He nodded and I shut the door behind myself, beginning to stride down the halls and look around.

_Where am I even meant to look?! Can't she sit still for five minutes..._

I passed clerics and knights, all moving out of the way as I stormed through. I stopped upon seeing a group of my knights, asking quickly, "That girl from this morning, have you seen her?"

They shook their heads silently, looking shocked. I sighed softly, nodding to myself and saying, "Keep an eye out."

The nodded, looking like bobble heads. I turned and left, frowning as I did so. I stopped to ask a few more familiar faces that I passed; Moon, Ice, Leaf... None of them had so much as seen a hair of her.

_How does somebody that conspicuous manage to avoid all these people?!_

I stopped in my tracks, thinking hard. _If I didn't want anybody to see me, how would I go about it?_

I looked around the hall thoughtfully, eyes passing over the light bricks and glimpses of green. If she had run from the window, she would have had to have passed somebody. It just wasn't scenery you could blend into easily. So then...  
Roof?

I looked upwards, though I knew I wouldn't be able to see anybody. Above me was the creamy ceiling, completely bare. I walked out of the corridor and into the open green, raising my gaze to the roof again. I couldn't see anybody there, but it was my best guess.

So, with a sigh, I began walking to more familiar ground. I knew that around the Sunflower patch was an area that I could use to lift myself onto the roof. _I wish I knew magic. Then I could just jump onto the roof..._

It was only a short while until I was standing inside the cluster of buildings, looking around for the best area to leverage myself up. In the end, I didn't have to.

"Oof!" The sound of something- or rather, someone- hitting the grass sounded behind me, making me jump. When I turned I saw a mass of gold sprawled onto the floor, looking entirely unladylike. I raised one eyebrow, glaring at the person and waiting for them to notice me. She raised her hand to her backside, complaining loudly, "Ow!"

"What," I said quietly, trying not to scare her, "Do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think _you're_ doing?!" She snapped, holding her hand out and glaring back at me, "Help me up!"

I sighed, but grasped her tiny hand with my own and pulled her up. When I was finished she didn't let go, confusing me until I noticed how very cold my leg felt. I looked down at it in shock, not entirely surprised to see it encased in ice. When I looked back up my eyes were narrowed and she was looking at me steadily.

"What are you doing?" I growled in a low voice.

"I'm leaving. I can't remain here any longer," She said. It brought back the painful memory that I had played again and again in my head, until it was as sharp as any sword.

_Caelan looked at me, her eyes pained and her jaw clenched, "I'm leaving the Twelve Holy Knights. I can't remain here any longer."_

_Shock ran through my body, widening my eyes. I wanted to question it, to rebuke his claim and convince him to stay. My hand moved forward without me telling it to, reaching out. Then the pain exploded in my head, accompanied by the sound of a shattering chair. The last thing I saw was him looking down at me, eyes filled with remorse._

My hand tightened around hers and she frowned, looking down on it in annoyance before her eyes shifted to mine. Then she froze, eyebrows raising and eyes widening. I don't know what it was that made her stop, but she did.

"Don't," I said clearly through clenched teeth.

"Why should I stay?" She asked coldly, the edges of her lips dragging down. The expression didn't suit her.

_Because you're actually the Sun Knight, you just don't remember because you chose to forget about us and disappear._

"Reasons," I said vaguely, avoiding her glare.

"Of course. Reasons that, for some unknown reason, everybody seems to be hiding from me," She sounded furious, and the temperature dropped slightly. All these years and you still haven't learnt control.

"Can't you just stay until we figure everything out? I'll avoid you, if that's what you want," As soon as I said it the temperature dropped further. I looked up to see her face twisted into a snarl, and she snatched back her hand angrily.

"Oh of course," She snarled sarcastically, "I'll just sit to the side blindfolded while you all figure everything out and don't tell me anything. You can shove me in another bathroom too, if it helps. After all, I don't have feelings. You can all prance around in your little secret group and talk about whatever it is about me that's got everybody on edge!"

"We're not-" I froze, looking behind me in panick. The temperature had dropped drastically, making a climate completely unfamiliar for the warm South. And it's plants. In a hurried voice I snapped, "Get yourself under control!"

"_Ha_?!" She sounded incredulous, "You actually have the nerve-!"

"You can get angry at me later, you're going to make them wilt," Already the flowers seemed to be drooping slightly, "They can't take the cold climate..."

A moment passed and the temperature raised slightly. I let out the large breath that I hadn't realised I had been holding. The flowers didn't look better, but they had stopped deteriorating.

"Thank you," I sighed, eyes shifting to the ice around my leg in annoyance, "Would you mind?"

"I would, actually," She said, sounding slightly more under control.

"At least go back to Anastasia and Metal," I said quietly.

"No," She said. I looked up to see her walking to one of the walls. I expected her to vault onto the roof, but instead she sat, facing me. Her face was blank as she asked, "What is everybody hiding from me?"

"It's best... if you don't know," I said slowly, feeling like an idiot.

Rather than prying she was silent for a few moments. In a childish voice she finally asked, "Do you regret me coming to Leaf Bud City?"

It surprised me when the answer didn't come straight to my lips. I should have said no, but...

"I must have done something really bad, huh?" Her voice was quiet and her head was hung.

_Yes. No. I don't know. As Caelan, you seem so sad. As Kadence, you seemed to carefree. Maybe it would have been best if you continued to live like that._

"I can't remember, though," She mumbled, sounding like a lost child.

"Can't remember what?" I asked softly.

She made an irritated sound, raising her hands to her head, "I don't know what I can't remember. There are gaps everywhere. I can't remember names... times... Urgh. I don't remember what I did to make you so angry, damn it."

We were silent, me unwilling to answer and her unwilling to let it pass. Finally she looked up, making me feel guilty. _I'm such a jerk._

Her face was filled with worry, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. In a shaking voice she asked, "Am I going crazy? Is that why everybody seems so wary of me? Is that why I can't remember?"

* * *

_**Wah... So many reviews! Thank you all so much! TuT**_


	30. Chapter 29

The moment hung, suspended. I couldn't look away, but at the same time I had no real answer. In a way, she was crazy. After all, crazy is when your brain isn't functioning properly, right?

"No," My own voice surprised me. I hadn't meant to say anything, but it still came out nonetheless.

"Then what happened?" She broke eye contact, running a hand through her hair.

_Even if you don't remember, you still have the same habits, huh?_

"I can't tell you," I said quietly.

"You're an ass," She said simply, "And if you don't want me to continue thinking that, you better tell me what's happening."

"I still can't tell you," I tried to move my leg, annoyed when the ice didn't even budge. _Urgh. Mages are so annoying…_

"So you don't mind being the bad guy?" She demanded angrily; obviously upset her attempt at wheedling the answer out of me didn't work.

"I'm use to it," I said idly, trying to pry the ice off with my fingers. It still didn't work. Something soft hit me on the head and I looked up frowning. She had a lump of dirt in her hand. I sighed, "I can't tell you."

"You're an ass," She said again, throwing another clod of dirt at me. I didn't bother to try and avoid it, instead standing still and staring at her steadily as it hit my shoulder. It left a dirty mark, but I didn't mind enough to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. It continued for awhile. She would dig up the dirt with her hands, a growing look of irritation on her face. She would fling it at me and I wouldn't react. Even when one landed directly on my face. It annoyed me inside, but I didn't have the courage to get angry at her again. I was afraid that, if I did, she would go back to being terrified. That she would look at me with those scared eyes and cry. She finally burst, snapping, "You're a jerk. You wear too much black. You're annoying. You're emotionless," When I didn't react she seemed to get even angrier, shouting, "If you're not even getting angry at me for this, what did I do?! What did I do to make you so scary?! At least say something!"

"Something," I said, deadpan.

She looked flustered, narrowing her eyes and muttering, "You're getting more sassy."

I raised an eyebrow at the thought of a sassy Judgment Knight.

"How do you all do that?" She demanded angrily.

"Do what?" I asked, confused.

"The eyebrow thing!" She gestured at my face sharply, "Everybody keeps doing it!"

I stared at her blankly for a few moments before bursting out into laughter, which prompted her face to look even darker, only making me laugh more.

_She's nuts. She's definitely crazy._

"You're so weird," I managed between the laughter, shaking my head.

Suddenly the pressure in my leg eased. When I looked down it was completely free of the ice. When I looked back up she was walking away, her arms crossed. _At least she's not just going to leave me here._

I caught up with her easily, though I took care not to stand too close lest she lose her patience again and start attacking me.

"I'm sorry," She said suddenly, tucking a strand of gold hair behind her ear.

I frowned in confusion, "Why?"

She looked embarrassed, "For… everything?"

"And everything _is_?" I prompted, still confused.

"Coming here," She bit her lip, looking down and twisting her shirt, "Embarrassing you, dragging you around everywhere…"

That surprised me, then made me feel even more guilty. _Of course she feels sorry for coming to the South. The first thing she woke up to was me screaming at her to go back to the North. Damn it, Grisia! If you're going to fix her, at least do it right… Sob._

"Don't be," I said gruffly, not looking her in the eye as we entered the empty corridor, "It was… fun."

_You shouldn't __**be**__ having fun. Live for the Church, right?_

"But I made you angry," She said quietly, sounding like a child, "I must have done something really bad to make you that scary."

"It's my job to be scary," I said casually, hoping it would spark something _other_ than sadness out of her. Even her being angry was better than this.

She frowned, shaking her head and sending golden hair drifting from side to side, "It shouldn't be."

"I chose this," I said tightly. _Really? Every other time you choose blatant anger, but __**now**__ you're going to try and speak calmly?_

"It's stupid," She said bitterly, "Everybody always acts so scared, like you're some kind of dragon. You're more like a lamb."

I frowned at that. _I know you were trying to make a comparison, but can't you find something a little bit more manly than a lamb?_

"None of your friends even seem to know you," She continued complaining, sounding huffy.

_It wasn't ten minutes ago that you were throwing stuff at me and calling me an ass. What changed? Jeez._

"What about your family?" She asked, still frowning, "Do _they_ at least act normally around you?"

I was silent, not knowing how I was supposed to reply without making her feel guilty for asking. My silence was enough of an answer.

She looked devastated as she made a little 'Oh'.

"It's nothing," I said quickly.

Instead she looked pissed, slapping my arm and snapping, "You're a terrible liar."

"It really is nothing," I said, feeling embarrassed, "It's not like I have anything _to_ miss. I have a good life here."

"But you seem so isolated," She sighed, "Why would you enter this kind of life?"

"Because it's all I've ever had," I replied as we entered the deserted corridor, "And it's really not so bad. Somebody has to do the job, and it's not like-"

One second we were walking, the next I was face down on the floor.

_This seems to be happening more and more often with her around._

I turned to look at her slowly, my expression incredulous as I asked, "Did you just trip me?"

She nodded quietly, looking away with raised eyebrows.

"Hey!"

_Shi-!_

I stood quickly, straightening my uniform and trying to salvage my 'Judgment Knight' demeanour just as Ignal began to storm down the corridor to us.

_Phew. If anybody had to see that, at least it was Ignal. If one of the clerics had seen me being tripped..._

Still, what surprised me the most right now was Ignal's face. He was always calm and collected around me, his stance formal and respectful. Right now he was sporting a dark scowl, his fists clenched and his eyes dark.

_Oh god. What did I do?!_

"Ignal," I said, using all my years of training to keep my face nonchalant and my tone calm, "What is it?"

He gave a belated salute, stopping in front of me and frowning deeply, "Captain..."

_I've never had one of my platoon members frown in front of me. I wonder if the temple is on fire? Or maybe Grisia is back..._

I resisted the urge to shudder.

"Is there a problem?" I asked seriously, hoping it was the former rather than the latter.

He hesitated, looking unsure of how to proceed. Eventually he seemed to resolve his determination, saying loudly, "Yes, Sir! The other Platoon members were going to stay quiet, because we didn't want to interfere, but..."

He trailed off, face reddening in apparent embarrassment. I couldn't understand why before I realised I had raised my eyebrows. I forced them back down, asking, "Yes?"

"T-That is..." He stood straighter, "We can't sit by calmly while you're being disrespected, sir!"

_Huh?_

"Aw," Kadence sounded amused, "Your knights in shining armour, eh? Who is this 'disrespecter' then?"

Ignal looked at her blankly for a few moments before saying, in a voice used to explain simple matters to small children, "You."

"Ha?!" She crossed her arms, frowning at him, "And what the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Ever since we found you, you've been taking advantage of Captain's tolerance!" Ignal snapped. It was the first time I had heard him snap at _anybody_. Even Grisia.

"How so?!" She growled, sounding dangerous.

I suddenly felt very worried that she would attack my Vice-Captain.

"You've been pulling cheap shots!" Ignal replied indignantly, sounding offended that she didn't know what he was talking about, "You keep hitting him! All because he's too tolerant to get angry with you!"

_Is he... defending me?_

My head felt light.

"I've been hitting him because he's been acting stupid!" She pouted, turning away with a huff.

"Don't badmouth Captain!" Ignal growled.

_He __**is**__ defending me. Holy cr-_

"Why?" She grinned lopsidedly, "Gonna fight me?"

He looked annoyed as he declared, "Yes! Even if it takes the whole Platoon to win!"

"Aren't you being a bit selfish?" She rolled her eyes, "Dragging the whole platoon into a useless fight just because _you_ have a Captain-Complex."

"The only reason they haven't acted on their own yet is because I told them not to!" He snapped, "You wouldn't understand loyalty!"

Suddenly her gruff demeanour dropped, a small smile twitching on the edge of her lips until she began to laugh loudly, holding her sides and grinning widely. Ignal looked offended, and I had a feeling the only thing stopping him from fighting her right here and now was her gender.

"I t-told you!" She laughed, pointing at me, "Your face right now is priceless!"

"Uh," My brain moved at a snail's pace as I turned back to Ignal with a confused frown, "I-It's okay? She's an... old acquaintance..."

He looked blank for a few moments before his face reddened, looking like a tomato. He seemed conflicted, performing a sort of half-bow to Kadence while stammering out, "I-I'm sorry, w-we didn't realize... That is t-that we thought..."

"It's fine, it's fine," Kadence laughed, waving down the hallway, "You're dismissed."

He obeyed quickly, to my surprise. With the rate he left, I had no doubt that my Platoon's speed was definitely top notch.

I turned to Kadence slowly, face still as I asked in a quiet voice, "What did you tell me?"

She rolled her eyes before her face turned serious, her eyebrows drawing down in a mock-imitation of me, "I don't have friends," She dropped the face, laughing under her breath, "I could tell you thought they were all distant. You were always so annoyingly careful around them... Ha! You didn't even realise how much they worshipped you, did you? I heard them talking a few times... Pfft!"

The pieces started to click and I looked at her with a mix of incredulity and annoyance, "It can't be... You saw him coming just now?" She nodded silently, looking like a cheeky child, "And this morning, you did that on purpose?!" She nodded again.

"I knew they wouldn't come out and tell you, so I just started hitting you when they were around. It worked quite well, actually."

"You're an evil genius," I said quietly, feeling my cheeks redden.

"Aww," She elbowed me in the stomach, "You're embarrassed! Well, I would be too. Pfft! I can't believe you didn't notice!"

"Quiet," I grumbled, starting to walk again. She followed suit, laughing.

"What, afraid I'll ruin your big, bad J-" She stopped speaking and I turned around to see why. She was standing completely still, her eyes unfocused and her face blank.

"Hey," I shook her shoulder, feeling increasingly worried when she didn't react, "What's wrong?"

She didn't reply, much to my dismay. When I pulled on her arm experimentally she followed, and so I lead her back to Metal's room quickly. When I pushed open the door Jean, Metal and Anastasia were lounging at the table, Jean wearing his new uniform. As we entered they all leapt from their seats.

"What happened?" Anastasia rushed to the door, looking worried. Metal's face was concerned as he joined her. Kadence still didn't react.

"I don't know," I said quickly, pushing her to sit in one of the seats, "We were talking and she just-"

I gestured at her helplessly. Anastasia knelt in front of her, face intent as she asked in a serious voice, "Caelan?"

There was still no reaction. Kadence's blank blue eyes were unfocused still, a mirror of indifference. Metal shook her shoulders, snapping in a low voice, "Wake up, bastard."

Still nothing.

Anastasia continued in an even softer voice, holding Kadence's hands in her own, "Kadence?"

Kadence blinked slowly, repeating the action a few times before looking around in shock.

I sighed in relief, falling into one of the chairs and resting my face in my hands.

"How'd I get here?" Her voice was confused. When I looked up again she was frowning, looking down at her hands and then at me, "What happened?"

I stared at her like a deer in headlights, no idea how to react. She was already worried she was crazy. What would she do if I told her she was randomly blanking out?

"You fainted," Metal said suddenly.

"I did?" She looked surprised, back to frowning at her hands, "Oh. Sorry..."

"I'm happy to be your knight in shining armour any day," He joked.

I expected Kadence to hit him or say something back. Instead Anastasia was the one that elbowed him square in the stomach. His face turned indignant and I couldn't help a small smile.

Then I remembered Jean was there.

He was looking amused, his lips pulled back into a grin.

"Hey kid," Kadence said, returning a bit more to herself. She was smiling, but it was strained at the edges, "Didn't see you there."

They began to talk, Jean showing off his new uniform excitedly. Metal came to stand next to me, leaning against the wall slightly as he stated in a quiet voice, "It's getting worse."

I nodded silently. We sat for a few moments, watching as Kadence began to talk with large hand gestures, laughing as she did so. In a soft voice I asked, "Are we really doing the right thing?"

"What do you mean?" He said tightly, obviously avoiding the question.

"Wouldn't she be happier like this?" I frowned, "Maybe Anastasia was right to try and get her out of here."

He had no reply.

I sighed softly, feeling tired.

* * *

_**So much to do~!**_

_**Thank you all for the reviews! This story should *Cough* be coming to its finale soon. It's been so much fun writing this! And reading all your lovely reviews makes my day so much better ^-^**_


	31. Chapter 30

When I woke the next morning rain pattered on the rooftops and windows, soft and consistant. It ran down the glass in trails, leaving little droplets of water scattered about like transparent stars. Their edges shone a slight gold, the product of the Church's Holy Lamps. It was the only source of light on an otherwise bleak day, with angry black clouds fogging up the skyline and blocking out the usual merry sun.

_I hate rain._

The thought was sullen and bitter as I stared out the window. As Judgment Knight, I suppose I should feel a kinship to the dreary weather. After all, it reflected my role quite well. Both dark, unwanted and carrying the same image of helplessness. As good a Judgment Knight I was, I still couldn't force myself to like this horrid weather.

"Stop looking so gloomy!" The sentence was accompanied by the slap from somebody who was, obviously, impartial to the weather. She was grinning widely, teeth white even in the ambience of golden Holy Light. Her hair shone even brighter with the added light, a blinding mass of gold.

I knew for a fact that I, on the other hand, was still my usual dark self. It was like my clothes repelled the golden light, staying black in an almost defiant manner. Another reason that I hated the rain. When it was dark out the windows reflected images much clearer, startling the hell out of me whenever I caught a glimpse of myself. Every two minutes I'd see a mass of black out of the corner of my eye and have to stop myself from drawing my sword.

_Who thought up the clothing design for the Judgment Knight anyway?_ I grumbled the thought to myself, but tried to appear a bit livelier to avoid getting slapped again.

"You should probably stay with one of the other knights today," I said patiently, glad that the room was deserted so that I could speak freely, "I have... business to attend to."

_Interrogations._

She immediately began pouting, her bright blue eyes going even wider in what I had no doubt was a conscious effort to appear innocent. In a pleading voice she said, "I don't want to. I won't bug you, so let me come with you?"

"Why?" I asked, resisting the urge to bang my head against the stupid glass. She was always so _difficult_. The moment she wasn't allowed to do something, it was all she wanted to do. She was like a child.

"You're the most amusing," She said seriously, her thin brows drawn.

...

"You mean I'm the most fun to mess with, right?" I asked suspiciously. When she nodded seriously I resisted the urge to bang _her_ stupid head against the stupid glass.

_I can't believe I'm going to have to live out my days until retirement working under this idiot. It's going to be torture... sob._

"Why can't I?" She grumbled, crossing her arms and glaring at me defiantly, "I bet you're just slacking off, and you don't want me to know!"

"I told you," I rubbed my tired eyes, sighing and wondering if Grisia had chosen her as his student in an attempt to be even _more_ annoying, "I have... business. It's... important..."

I couldn't muster up the courage to tell her I would be spending the day interrogating criminals. She seemed normal now, but any minute now she could change her mind about me and go back to looking at me with those terrified, disdainful eyes. It was a miracle that she had managed to tolerate me in the first place, and I wasn't keen on jeopardizing the friendship we seemed to have.

"You're too boring," She complained, "What else am I meant to do the whole day, then?"

I thought for a moment, not quite sure myself. On days like this few Platoons chose to train, and even if they did... I didn't hold a grudge against them, and couldn't bring myself to inflict the natural disaster that was Kadence upon them. Anastasia was notorious for sleeping in, and I certainly didn't want to unleash another disaster upon the Temple by waking her. I had heard stories of what happened to people who woke her earlier than she wanted, and they weren't pretty.

_Come to think of it, I've never heard of her getting angry at Caelan for waking her. I know for a fact she did, when they were children... Knowing Anastasia, she probably took it out on Grisia rather than get angry at her closest friend._

"Go hang around with Metal?" I suggested hopefully.

"He said the same thing as you!" She complained.

I ran through the other knights in my head, wondering which would be suitable for babysi- supervising Kadence. Without the restrictions of being the Sun Knight she generally did whatever she wanted, which could prove dangerous. _Should her identity be revealed_... I resisted the urge to shudder, _I don't think there was anything that could be said or done to fix the situation, should that happen._

_Ice and Earth are out, then. They don't have enough resolve to stop her. Cloud is definitely out, too. He's too nice to be able to deal with her brash nature for a whole day. Leaf? No! She'd kill him for sure. Hell? I wouldn't even know where to find him..._

"You realize I'm going to come with you, whether you like it or not?" She asked, interrupting my train of thought.

_That's true, but..._

"It's not... something you can see," I explained slowly, "My position means I have to... interrogate criminals... It's not pleasant."

She clenched her jaw, eyes fierce. I knew what she was thinking, without asking. She wanted to protest against my position. Call it stupid and then act even _more_ rash than usual.

"I'm still coming with you," She said stubbornly.

_You're so difficult! I take it back, you should definitely have been Stone!_

"On one condition," I said seriously, knowing that I didn't really have a choice in the matter at this stage, "You don't come into the room. At all. You'll have to wait outside for however long it takes, no wandering off."

She looked thoughtful, her brows knitting together until she finally nodded, "I can do that."

"It may take hours," I said tightly, wishing she'd just yield already and go play with one of the other knights for the day. After all, Grisia should be returning soon.

"I don't mind," She said serenely.

I sighed, nodding and starting to leave the room. Kadence followed happily, almost skipping and reminding me of something else I had to take into consideration.

_She can't just sit outside the interrogation room, right? She'll distract the other Platoon members… urgh._

"Do you mind sitting in a bathroom?" I asked as I pushed open the door.

"Of course not," She laughed.

* * *

"You were serious about that?!" She asked incredulously as we entered the deserted bathroom. It was always deserted, no doubt thanks to its' use over the years by Judgment Knights. It was an off-white, which I considered to be a design flaw. Every time I came here I would be smeared in dark blood, and it inevitably found its' way to the white surface of the room. I would try my best to clean it, of course, but most days it was to no avail and only spread the blood further. Yet every day I came here it was as white as if there was never any blood.

"Well, yeah…" I said, feeling a little bit embarrassed.

She sat on the floor, rolling her eyes at me and stretching with a yawn. She drew her jacket closer around herself, grinning at me and saying, "Have fun slacking off."

I left promptly, hoping that I could get today's interrogations over and done with quickly. She had said she would stay put, but I didn't believe that for a second. She was reckless to the point of fault.

"Captain," Ignal approached me, saluting seriously, "The interrogation room is all set up."

"Thank you," I said in a calm voice, bracing myself for what I was about to face as I opened the door to the interrogation room.

Interrogations were hellish. They were full of screaming and blood, the gory image intensified by the dreary weather outside. Inside the interrogation room was chilly, my robes doing little in the way of warding off the cold. It might have been because of the horrid weather, or because they noticed my less than ideal state that my Platoon informed me that there were no other criminals set to be interrogated today. I knew it was a lie, but I didn't dispute it. I'm sure the interrogations were as difficult for them to watch as they were for me to conduct.

Years of training held me calm until I reached the bathroom, appearing indifferent despite my stomach turning. As soon as I pushed open the door I moved to one of the furthest stalls quickly, trying to keep quiet lest she come in and see me throwing my guts up into the basin. The sight of my hands gripping either side of the porcelain bowl, flecked with red blood only made me vomit more. My skin was clammy, despite the chill and my hair stuck to my forehead in an uncomfortable manner. It continued until I had nothing left _to_ throw up, leaving me breathing heavily and feeling like falling down. It was difficult to breathe whilst vomiting, and always left me feeling lightheaded.

I breathed deeply, blinking to clear my eyes and hoping that I didn't look like too much of a wreck. When I felt a bit more stable I pushed open the stall's door again, stepping out and moving to one of the sinks. The chilled water hit my skin, stinging slightly but a relief nonetheless. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kadence, leaning in the corner of the room with her mouth slightly ajar. Her eyes were closed, but she was frowning. Her jacket had fallen off and I rolled my eyes at her sleeping form.

_You're going to catch a cold, idiot._

I picked up the cloth, draping it over her and wondering if I should wake her.

_I don't have a death wish._

Instead I followed suit, sitting against an adjacent wall and wiping blood off of my clothing using a wet handkerchief. I had gotten into the habit of carrying it around, a trait acquired from my teacher. He reveled in cleanliness and order. I had no such desire, not minding dirt. Entirely understandable for somebody who grew up on the streets.

"I want cake…" Kadence mumbled suddenly, making me jump slightly. She was still asleep, frowning a little.

_Now who's talking in their sleep?_

I resisted the urge to laugh, not wanting to wake her. I tilted my head back, looking at the roof with a small sigh.

_Grisia and the others should be back soon, right? I wonder what's going to happen after this. She'll probably finish her Sun Knight training. Urgh. That means Grisia is going to have to stick around for a few more years… Maybe now that I've become a full Judgment Knight he'll stop forcing me to drink with him. And Teacher isn't with the Temple anymore, so I can't be roped into 'Training' him either. Maybe it won't be so bad after all…_

Suddenly the door flew forward, breaking off its' hinges and hitting the wall next to me. Grisia strode in, obviously holding back laughter when he saw my face. Behind him stood Pink and the Aunt. I stared at the door, broken in two places, with a growing feeling of agitation. Now that it was broken somebody would have to fix it, and I had no doubt that Grisia would leave it to somebody else to do, despite it being his fault. What was the point of blasting the door to start with?!

"The doorknob was stuck," He said seriously.

… _You obviously just wanted to annoy me, right?_

"Pfft," The Aunt sauntered in, flicking back her dark hair and speaking in a lilting voice, "Your face looks stupid."

"Aww," Pink crossed her arms and snorted, "Don't pick on the poor little Judgment Knight."

_Three really annoying people have shown up._

"Hey," Kadence yawned loudly, rubbing her eyes and blinking blearily around at the room, "Don't bully Seriph. He can't help having a stupid face."

…

_What did I do in my past life to deserve this?_


	32. Chapter 31

We quickly relocated to a more private area (The Sun Knights' quarters) after the arrival of the three devils. The rooms were the same as when I was a child, despite years of neglect. Dust didn't cling to a single surface, making me certain that the room continued to be cleaned. By who, I didn't know. It was still dreary out, nobody even bothering to open a window. There _was_ no light outside to be let in. Instead several Holy Lamps were lit, illuminating the room brightly. Pink and the Aunt didn't seem happy, but they didn't complain.

_Actually, speaking of them… Two Necromancers snuck into the Holy Temple. Undetected. That's just… Sigh._

"No!" Kadence snapped, half-hiding behind me and glaring at Grisia. It had been like this for at least ten minutes now. She was refusing to cooperate, which was understandable. In his hands Grisia was holding an amulet that was emitting faint bursts of Unholy energy, brief lapses of black flickering over its' otherwise red surface.

"Stop being so difficult," Grisia growled, losing patience with his student. She remained stubborn, shaking her head and sending golden hair swinging from side to side. Her bright blue eyes were defiant and angry.

"I don't trust you, baldy!" She said loudly, moving to stand further behind me.

_Are you seriously using me as a shield?_

"Ha!" Pink laughed. She was sitting on the table and swinging her legs happily, "Baldy!"

"Shut up, Corpse," He snapped dangerously, his eyes impatient as he glared back at Kadence, "Just take it, Damn it!"

"No, you bully!" She stuck her tongue out at him. I swear his eyes just about popped out of his head. I sighed softly, wondering why every generation of Sun Knight's I had met were so annoyingly stubborn.

"Kadence," I said patiently, stepping to the side so she was no longer hiding behind me and trying to speak in a reasonable tone, "Why don't you want to? You don't have to do anything, just take the amulet."

"I don't trust them," She mumbled, crossing her arms and pouting.

_I suppose that's normal. I wouldn't trust them either._

"You don't have to trust them," I said quietly, "But do you trust me?"

She froze, frowning for a few moments before sighing sharply, "That's blackmail."

"I wonder who taught me that," I replied wryly.

She still looked unsure, frowning at Grisia and the other with distrustful eyes. But she nodded silently, holding her hand out to take the amulet. She hesitated at the last minute, snatching back her hand and biting her lip. I braced myself for another argument, but instead she grabbed my sleeve and snapped, "You better stay here."

I nodded and she snatched the amulet, flinching when it was in her hand. When nothing happened she looked confused, as did I. The devil trio looked utterly calm, not a flicker of uncertainty on their faces.

I looked from the amulet to them slowly, wondering why they were so calm even though nothing was happening.

_Maybe it's one of those things that you can't see? In a second she'll probably turn around and start talking like Caelan again-_

She dropped like a sack of potatoes, hitting the ground with a thud and dragging my arm down with her. The others still looked calm, which did almost nothing to alleviate my panic.

"This isn't the way you said it would work!" I snapped angrily, glaring at Grisia accusingly.

He shrugged carelessly, but his eyes were tight as he said, "Easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

"Forgiveness for what?" I asked suspiciously as he picked her up, dragging me along with them. _Her hand is like a vice…_

And so, with my sleeve still stuck in her hand, he set her on the bed. I sat on the edge, trying to pry her fingers off to no avail.

_Creepy strong._

"Invasion of privacy," Pink said happily, all but skipping over to the bedside. When she was there she poked Kadence's cheek, grinning wickedly to herself.

"Which means…?" I flicked her hand away, not trusting her one bit.

"Psychic magic is complicated," The strange-accented voice of her aunt said. She sat next to Kadences head, patting it with a caramel hand as she continued, "This one in particular. The first block she had on her memories was good," She sounded determined, "Her parents were good mages. But this one is incomparably stronger."

"What?" Pink said innocently as I glared at her, "She didn't specify how strong she wanted it, so I assumed…"

"It needs to be removed manually," Grisia interrupted, sounding impatient again, "Simply put; Somebody will need to go… in? I suppose that's how you would put it. It's dangerous though. And there's no avoiding a bit of memory clash."

"And who will do it?" I said, looking between them all skeptically. _There's really no winning. I don't trust Pink at all though. I can picture her doing stupid things in there… The Aunt? Eh. I don't really trust her with anything, at this stage. Grisia?_

_It's a grim day when the fate of the Holy Temple rests on his shoulders again._

_I might be a bit bias, though._

"I will," The Aunt said seriously, frowning.

"I don't think so!" Pink said, sounding huffy, "That would be boring!"

…

_I __**definitely**__ don't trust Pink._

"Little Judgment should do it," Grisia said, shooting me a pointed look.

"Why me?" I asked indignantly.

"She's _your_ Sun Knight," He shrugged, turning away and sitting down with a yawn. In an almost inaudible voice he mumbled, "If I do it this way I can save some time off of the 'friendship' training…"

… _In the end you're just being lazy, right?_

Pink looked thoughtful, her hand poised under her chin as she nodded, "That _would_ be funny…"

_Oh stuff it. I'm never trusting any of these idiots. Does irresponsibility affect __**all**__ necromancers like this?!_

"Fine," I snapped, glaring at Grisia's back, "What now?"

"Don't fail," Was all he said before I heard the sharp splintering of a chair, accompanied by a sudden pain in my head.

_Will everybody stop hitting me, damn it?!_

I opened my eyes, ready to get angry. Instead I was met by black. I held out my hands cautiously, not feeling any walls around me as I looked around, feeling nervous. Despite the darkness I could see myself clearly, still clad in my black Judgment robes.

"Grisia?" I called out, still looking around myself. Everything was quiet and the darkness hung like a mantle, silent and unmoving. I breathed slowly, frowning and trying to stay calm.

_I've seen worse than this. Darkness is nothing. Calm down._

I heard a soft sound to my right, almost inaudible. I couldn't place the strange sound, not any kind of animal I had ever heard before. I took another look around, determining that there was nothing else in this desolate area. So I began to walk to the sound, placing one foot carefully in front of the other and trying to quell the fear of falling. My feet didn't make any sound, but the sound ahead of me was growing louder. Eventually I saw a dim light, make of reds and orange. Unable to stop myself I began to run, feeling the darkness on my heels like a hound.

"Who-?!" I stopped, looking at the sight in front of me in confusion. In the blackness, seemingly suspended by thin air, stood a white window. It was shining softly, still the same orange-red's of earlier. I approached it cautiously, feeling slightly relieved at the sight of it. It wasn't darkness, making me feel slightly more at ease.

That was, of course, until I got close enough to see inside of it.

Inside the window was a house. I could see its' homely living room, with chairs and a large rug. Pictures hung on the wall of a happy family. And all around the room, illuminating harshly, was raging fire. It licked at the walls, peeling back the paint and making the pictures smolder. On the rug two people lay, breathing labored and blood glistening even brighter in the light of the fire. I watched, frozen, as a small child walked into the room. Her hair was golden, even in the red light of the fire, and her blue eyes were wide in fear.

The two people on the floor sat up, shaking and obviously pained by the action. In the girl's eyes blood was reflected clearly, blue and red clashing horribly. Her bottom lip trembled and, in a shaking voice, she asked, "What-"

I wrapped my first in my robe, stepping backwards and digging my heels into the ground. With a deep breath I punched forward, hitting the glass squarely. It didn't budge, or even make a sound. I continued to punch it, feeling panic grow when it didn't budge an inch.

Seeing it was futile I moved closer to the glass, trying to yell out a warning. The fire kept raging inside, drawing closer to the family.

"Get out!" I shouted, banging on the glass, "Can you hear me?!"

It seemed they couldn't as they pulled the girl closer, tears running freely down their face. I could see the fire singeing the girl, running up her hair.

"We love you," They whispered.

The image disappeared, leaving me alone in the blackness again.

"Hey!" I yelled, looking around in panic, "What-"

"What happened?" A voice that was both mine and not mine asked. I looked around in confusion, still not seeing anybody. I began to walk, holding my hands in front of myself and frowning.

_Darkness is nothing. Stop being such a coward._

"Anybody?" I yelled, still not receiving any sort of reply.

I squinted, catching a glimpse of something other than black in front of me. I began to walk quicker, almost breaking out into a run again. When I came closer I could see it was a child, clothes and hair singed terribly. Welts were rising on his arms and legs, red and furious. He didn't seem to notice, stumbling ahead without a word.

"Hey!" I called out, catching up and looking down at him, "Who are-"

I froze. The child didn't react, but I could tell who it was at a glance. It was the child from the window, her blue eyes blank and face emotionless. There was ash stuck to her face and hair, smudges of the stuff all over her face.

"You," I frowned in worry, dropping to one knee and trying to elicit a reaction, "What happened? Where are we?"

She didn't reply, but I saw tears begin to well in her eyes.

_I'm an ass._

"Sorry," I said quickly, holding my hands up passively and smiling a little, "Don't be scared! I won't hurt you!"

She didn't reply, sniffing miserably and balling up her fists.

"What's-"

"What's wrong?" I asked without asking. My eyes widened and I turned to look in front of the girl. Kneeling there, eyes filled with worry and looking extremely young, was me.

_What the-_

"Don't cry," The little boy said, taking one of her hands and patting her head softly, "There there."

She began to wail, face scrunching up. He didn't seem to know how to reply, quietly continuing to pat her head until she became silent, only sniffing occasionally.

"What's your name?" He asked cautiously, trying to smile and failing.

She opened her mouth, squeaking quietly. He seemed shocked, frowning and putting a hand on her forehead, "Are you sick?"

She shook her head, body shaking as she took a big breath. He bit his lower lip, looking around and sighing before turning back to her. In a soft voice he asked, "Do you not have a name?"

She began to cry again, and he grew increasingly flustered. Seeming to resolve himself he smiled widely, shaking his head and saying, "That's okay! Names aren't that important! I don't have one either."

_Ah. That's the way it was, wasn't it?_

I stared at the two with sad eyes, remembering the pain of being nameless. It was a familiar phrase.

"_Names aren't that important!"_

She seemed shock, her eyes wide and pitiful. Raising one small, shaking white hand she placed it on her throat, frowning severely and trying to speak again. When nothing came out she began to shake, lip trembling sadly.

"You wait here," He said comfortingly, patting her head, "I've got some food we can share, so just stay here."

She didn't reply, looking at him silently as he turned and began to sprint away. He was engulfed by the darkness, but she didn't seem surprised. Instead she frowned harder, opening her mouth slightly and whispering, "Caelan."

And then it was black again.


	33. Chapter 32

"_There's bound to be memory clash."_

I looked around slowly, suspicions beginning to form. The world was black, but it wasn't dark. I could see myself, and the apparitions, quite clearly. I quickly deduced that this was some kind of magic, no doubt the one that Grisia warned me not to fail at. Though I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing I began to walk, stumbling upon more and more images.

Some of them were cruel, the sight of them making me seethe with rage.

"_Creeper, Creeper!" Children chorused, their faces blurred but their words as sharp as knives. A small child huddled, the same I had seen earlier, only older. The cuts and bruises scattered across her face and limbs seemed permanent, there with every apparition. They differed in severity and quantity, but they always marred her flesh._

It hadn't taken me long to notice a pattern. All of the images were significant. Whenever they appeared the girl always seemed affected by some strong emotion, often fear and sadness. Amongst the turmoil were some happy times, though I couldn't quite understand _why_ they were happy.

_The girl sat against a tree, her knees pulled up to her chest as she watched a small bird flitter about. Her eyes were soft as the bird began to sing, weaving in and out of the trees like a dance. It landed in front of her, cocking it's head and staring with curious black eyes. Then it took off again, soaring into the blackness on bright blue wings._

"Caelan? Kadence?" I called out again, though I knew by now that no answer would come. I don't know how long I had been in here, but it felt like hours. Every time the apparitions disappeared I would be plunged back into blackness, stumbling around.

"_Sun," The voice of the last Leaf Knight exclaimed. His eyes were wide in shock as he stared at the small figure clinging to the devil's leg, "Who is that?!"_

"_Hey, Hey," The previous Earth Knight scolded, his eyes pulled down harshly, "Don't tell me you broke the Sun Knight's code?!"_

"_What?" Grisia sounded confused. _

"_The Sun Knight can't love anybody but the God of Light!" Storm chastised, sounding serious as he looked down at the little child. _

_The child's eyes were bright blue, his hair a brilliant gold._

"_Don't remind me..." Grisia grumbled, sounding bitter._

"_So who is that, then?" Leaf asked carefully, bending down and smiling at the small child who retreated a step, hiding his body behind Grisia and peaking out with scared blue eyes._

"_Some kid from the orphanage," Grisia shrugged, still looking confused, "Why?"_

"_N-N-No reason!" The previous Earth said, remembering to stutter as he did so, "S-S-Silly of us t-to think t-that Sun w-would ever be able to g-get a woman!"_

"_He really does look like you," The previous Leaf mused, smiling kindly at the scared child and stepping back, "For a second I thought you had a child..."_

The moment faded, leaving me in the blackness again and frowning. So far following the memories didn't seem to be getting me anywhere. On top of that it seemed to be taking a ridiculous amount of time.

I turned, walking at random and contemplating the situation. Next to me a scene was beginning to unfurl, filled with laughter and bright images. I ignored it, walking ahead in determination. It didn't stop, following me as I walked.

"_Am I doing it right?" Caelan asked, her small face smudged with dirt. She was frowning intently at the ground, holding a small shovel in one hand. There was a hole in the ground, and in the middle of it was placed a small seed._

"_Yes," The previous Leaf said kindly._

I couldn't help but look out of the corner of my eye, surprised. They were in the Sunflower patch, only there weren't any Sunflowers. No doubt the day they were planted.

_In the corner sat Leaf, looking defiantly at his teacher, who merely sighed. Caelan tugged on his arm, grinning widely, "Come on, Brandon! It's fun!"_

The image disappeared. I continued to walk, resolving not to stop for anything. It continued for awhile, images flitting beside me before disappearing.

"_Nice to meet you, Ryder!" Little-Caelan said happily._

Images of us flicked by, reminding me of a past that seemed so very long ago. I didn't see myself often, and when I did it was fleeting.

_**Was I always so distant?**_

"_Dion, Dion!" Caelan was poised on a window, looking in at the exasperated Young Stone Knight, "We're going to sneak out into town! Come with us! It'll be fun!"_

"_Fine," He rolled his eyes, yielding surprisingly easily for him, "I don't trust you all not to cause trouble without me."_

_**They all seemed so happy. How did I never notice them all?**_

Another image appeared in front of me, growing ever clearer. Ever since I had started walking they had only appeared beside me. She was older now, sitting on the floor without looking up. Nothing happened as I walked closer, and she remained stationary. She was dressed in the Sun Knight uniform, her long golden hair draping down to the ground.

_**Was this before she came and fought me?**_

She looked up suddenly, her eyes a startling shade of blue. Her eyes were wide, her eyebrows knitted in confusion as she looked passed me. I stopped, looking behind myself. Nothing was there, and when I looked back she had taken a step forward, hand held up.

_**Don't get distracted.**_

I turned, ready to leave before I heard a loud bang.

_**What the-?**_

I turned around. She had her fists raised, hitting the air with a dull noise. Her eyes were intent as she stared straight at me, looking desperate.

"Hello…?" I said cautiously, taking a step toward her and wondering if her memories were actually starting to notice me.

She looked relieved, standing back and looking around quickly. She gritted her teeth before turning back to me, making motions I couldn't understand.

"Kadence…?" I asked slowly. I reached my hand out experimentally, surprised to feel resistance under my fingers.

_**Glass?**_

She was shaking her head, looking angry and hitting the invisible wall in front of herself with more force.

"Caelan?!" I hit the wall, remembering the window I had seen when I had first woken.

_**Not again.**_

She nodded, opening her mouth and yelling something. I couldn't hear it at all, and she looked flustered.

"Grisia didn't tell me what I was supposed to do," I shouted, hoping she could hear me. She had started to frown, resting her fists on the glass and trying to yell again.

"_I'll see you later."_

I jumped at the sound of her brothers voice. Nearby another image had arrived, full of golden light. It was Kadence's house, and outside was snowing slightly. Her brother stood at the door, looking hesitant.

"_Don't worry!" She laughed, only it wasn't her laughing. She was standing beside me still, looking increasingly urgent. I looked between the two of them as Kadence pushed her brother out of the door, "Have fun! I'll have dinner ready when you come back, so stop worrying!"_

The banging sounded behind me, harder than before. I looked, frowning in confusion. Caelan stood, punching the wall again and shouting something I couldn't hear.

"I can't hear you," I shouted back. _**Damn it, Grisia! At least give me a better idea on what I'm supposed to be doing…**_

Suddenly she stopped hitting the wall, shaking her head and looking passed me with clenched teeth. Her eyes were scared. When I turned I was met by a quiet scene.

_Kadence closed the door carefully, sitting down without a word. She stayed like that as the sun set, unnaturally fast. She remained like that even when the light went out. It wasn't until the sun had almost disappeared that she stood, not making a noise as she began to prepare dinner. It had been hours since her brother left, I could tell. She remained quiet, her usual smile a distant ghost._

"Do you want to go back to the North? To being Kadence?" I asked softly. The image faded into darkness, leaving us in the quiet.

Her eyes were filled with pain and she yelled, still not making a sound. I watched for a few seconds, weighing the options in my mind.

_**She's happy as Kadence. Carefree. Ignorant. She can live with her brother in the North. They could be happy. Safe.**_

_**She's the one who chose this. What if she wants to stay this way? From what I can see, I would accept it. She's lived a hard life up until now. She could forget it all. Live only the happy memories.**_

_**Be Kadence.**_

She was silent, staring at me with sad eyes from beyond the glass. I gritted my teeth.

_**The others would let her. She's obviously better off like this.**_

_**You shouldn't even be the one deciding.**_

_**Live for the Church, right?**_

_**You don't need happiness. You were born nameless. You grew up that way. So why?**_

_**Why are you being so selfish now?**_

"Too bad," I yelled angrily, setting my feet firmly on the ground and hitting the invisible wall. She was surprised, "You're an idiot. A stubborn idiot. You make me so god damn furious. You aren't a good Sun Knight, and if the Church found out you were female they'd be furious."

She was clenching her teeth now, eyes downcast.

"You're a half-asked Sun Knight, but you're our Sun Knight!" She looked up, "Don't think you can get out of your responsibility this easily! You're going to come back, and you're going to train! You're stuck with us, whether you like it or not!"

She was smiling brilliantly, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. As my fists reverberated on the invisible wall, sending sharp cracks scattering across its surface, I couldn't help but wonder if we weren't so different.

**_In the end, did she just want to be accepted?_**

The glass shattered and I sat up, looking around in confusion. We were back in the Sun Knight's quarters. I could still hear the pattering of rain, and the room was still illuminated a brilliant gold. The ground underneath me was hard, and I realized quickly that they'd just dumped me on the floor.

_Jerks._

Speaking of… they were all sitting at the table, tea cups in hand and looking over at me calmly. I resisted the urge to shudder at the sight of the three of them, still marking impending doom in my mind.

"Have a nice nap?" Grisia asked curiously, sipping the drink elegantly. I stood, surprised to find myself teetering slightly. I frowned at him and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, "You might want to brush your hair later. There might still be pieces of chair in it."

"…" I stared at him quietly, wondering if I could lay a scratch on him before he stopped me. I dismissed the thought.

_Even retired, he's still annoyingly strong. Bastard._

"It was a lesson," He said, obviously trying to keep amusement out of his voice, "You two missed a lot of friendship training when you were younger. I thought I would make it up quickly, if not painlessly."

I looked back, not surprised to see her still sleeping. Her mouth was ajar and she was mumbling something in her sleep.

"I'm still not sure I'm okay with this," I said quietly, stumbling over and dragging out one of the chairs. I sat heavily, annoyed when the world didn't stay still, "Urgh. I feel like crap… Did you actually hit me with a chair?!"

He nodded seriously, hiding his smile behind another sip from the cup. I stared at him firmly. He held for a moment before sighing, setting down the cup with a small, "Tcht."

"Grisia, is this honestly okay?" I asked sternly, shooting her another look.

"Maybe not," He said calmly with a shrug, "But I'm not the only one who's made up their mind."

"How can you be so sure the others are okay with this?" I asked tightly, unable to believe they were all resolved to their friend entering this dangerous life again.

"I'm not talking about the others," He rolled his blue eyes at me before reaching forward and grabbing my wrist, holding my hand up above the table, "I'm talking about you. I told you psychic magic was dangerous, little Judgment."

I looked at my hands, slowly processing what he was saying. My knuckles were cut and bleeding, bruises blossoming all around my hands. I frowned at my hand, twisting it slightly and feeling a sharp pain down my arm. I had broken something, most likely my wrist.

"That's not…" I stopped, frowning even harder. _I don't know enough about magic to say that this isn't possible._

"Lesus will be so happy," He said wryly, dropping my wrist and poising his hand on the teacup again, "His annoying little student has finally come out of his shell a little."

"She could die," I said quietly, resting my wrist on the table tenderly. Now that I was aware of it I could feel the throbbing pain, as well as the cool air stinging the cuts, "How can you be okay with that?"

His eyes turned hard, his lip twisting into a snarl as he snapped, "You think I'm _okay_ with that?! I thought Lesus raised you to be smart. Never forget; You might have grown up with her, but I _raised_ her. You don't think I'm terrified of her getting herself killed?"

"I'm sorry," I said softly. _I'm being too emotional. I saw what they were like together. He cares for her as much as any of his brothers, I saw that._

"I was willing to let her run away," He said, staring at his cup with a sigh, "But ever since she was a child, this was her choice. Don't forget that either. I know you're all angry that she disappeared… But bear with it."

"I'll… try," I said slowly, still not sure of myself.

"I'll go get the others," He said quietly, standing up and running a hand through his hair, "They'll want to be here when he wakes."

I nodded seriously and he began to leave before we heard a soft sound from the bed. When I turned she was frowning, eyes closed as she mumbled, "I want… cake…"

…

"I should get her some of little Ice's cake while I'm at it," Grisia growled darkly, slamming the door after himself.

_As Judgment Knight, I'll have to protect her from enemies and threats on the surface. But in private, will I also have to protect her from getting killed by her teacher?_

* * *

**_Thankyou for all the lovely reviews~! =u= So happy. Caelan will be back (For good) now. x] I don't think they could get rid of her if they tried..._**


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